Bows and Snares
by Legkicker
Summary: Katniss Everdeen has volunteered to participate in the 74th annual Hunger Games, along with her best friend and trusted hunting partner, Gale Hawthorne. The arena is harsh, and it takes its toll on the duo from District 12. Struggling to stay alive, an unlikely ally comes to their aid, rescuing them from the jaws of death. He claims to be their way out, but can they trust him? OC's
1. Chapter 1: Final Preparations

**Prologue**

* * *

**I** was running out of time, and with her trailing me I had to think fast. I hurdle over a fallen log, coming down awkwardly and tripping over an exposed root. I crash hard onto the ground, yelping as my ankle twists.

The fall took all the drive out of me, and I lay there groaning in pain. This is it, this is where I lose. I should've known it was just being prolonged, but for some reason I fooled myself into believing I could win.

I flip myself over in time to see her jump up onto the log and smile down at me. Her hand is glistening with blood, dripping down the long blade of a knife.

* * *

**Bows and Snares  
**

**By: Legkicker**

**Chapter 1: **Final Preparations

**The** city is buzzing below the tower, filled with drunken citizens waiting for tomorrow to come. They pretend they care about us, but the truth is they only care about how we die. Will it satisfy their hunger for blood? It's sickening to look at, the way they celebrate and cheer. Meanwhile, back home, the districts are surely mourning loses still to come.

I look over at Gale, his thick, dark-black hair unaffected by the wind. His tender grey eyes look out across the city, and I can tell he is thinking about tomorrow. I wonder whether or not he is worrying more for himself or for me. Possibly, he is thinking about his family back home. Although Peeta Mellark, the baker's son, promised me he would keep our families fed, there was no guarantee.

"Gale, what do think tomorrow will be like?" I ask quietly, tracing the lines across his shirt up to his shoulders.

His eyes meet mine, and he thinks for a second longer before answering, "I don't know Katniss, you've watched the games more than I have…but I think we'll do fine."

There isn't enough doubt in his voice that I can question if he believes the last statement. 'We'll do fine' could mean we might make it far, but not far enough. It tears a hole in my heart to think about the end of the games. Whether I'm there or not, one of us won't be. I know he tried to plan this whole thing out in order to keep me alive, why else would he volunteer?

Now though, he realizes that coming here with me has a major downside. One of us has to die. I'll admit that I overlooked this when he first volunteered, but it crossed my mind a lot earlier. It makes me so depressed, wishing that Effie Trinket had just pulled a different tribute's name when she picked Prim. If that were the case, Gale and I wouldn't be sitting in the capitol right now. Rather, we would be in the meadow, looking out at the dark forest and talking about life.

Tears come on when I think like that, and I usually try to suppress the thoughts. How could our lives have changed so fast? How could they end like this?

Gale no longer feels that we should team up, telling me that we would have to kill each other in the end. Why though, he won't just stick with me for a little while, makes no sense. I need him; I need a friend in this arena. I don't expect to make it very far, but with Gale and me together our chances increase tenfold. I have to persuade him…

"Haymitch says if we just stick together-" I begin, but his eyes lock back onto mine and he shakes his head. My heart sinks as my attempt fails miserably again. I can see the hurt in his eyes, and I feel horrible for bringing the topic up again.

"One of us has to die, and it isn't going to be you. I don't want you to have to be the one to make that decision," he answers solemnly. Time and time again it has been proven we both think so much alike. I should've known he was mulling that idea over in his head as I was. It was almost annoying at times, like he could read my mine _too_ well.

Suddenly I feel a bit agitated, "It's not fair that you get to make the call on who lives. I want you to win just as bad as you want me to win!" my voice falters a bit at the end. No matter how many times I try to keep strong, it seems I always fall short.

"Katniss…" he puts his face in his hands, "don't you get it? It's cliché but I can't live without you."

Something like that is supposed to make a person feel good inside. Knowing how badly somebody needs you is a great feeling, but in this context it only makes matters worse. The empty pit in my stomach returns, and I pull my knees into my chest and tuck my chin behind them.

Gale acts like I don't love him, but I guess I do try my hardest to hide it. Sometimes I wish I could just tell him everything that I think, but I assure myself he would probably just consider me to be insane.

I look out at the city, "Same for me. Why don't we just both hand ourselves over to the careers? Regardless of what you want, that is what I'm doing. I'm running straight for the cornucopia…"

He sighs, staring at me. I refuse to meet his eyes, knowing that if I do my stance will surely change and I will give in. I wish I had thought of this earlier. Gale can't handle that ultimatum, and he has to go with me.

He knows this too, "Alright, we work together, run into the woods. At the end-"

"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it," I cut him off. He nods, to my relief. I don't suppose every tribute thinks this hard about another tribute's life. Usually they only think about their own, or at least that is what I presume. It was such a mistake for Gale to volunteer over Peeta. At first, I thought I would never forgive him, but now it seems that I needed him here with me. The way he holds me when I cry, the ways he reminds me of home, the way he loves me. Such a desperate life I live, where I find peace in a time of war.

After a few moments of sitting in each other's company, Gale helps me onto my feet and hugs me tight into his chest.

He whispers through my hair, "Get some sleep catnip, tomorrow we take on the games."

Tomorrow we take on the world.

* * *

**Early** the next morning I wake up and take a hot shower. I'm not sure how long I'm in there, but it feels like an hour or so before I step out. I scarf down a few rolls, realizing I'm going to have trouble keeping my breakfast. Cinna greets me around dawn, supplying me with an average set of clothing and taking me up to the roof. A hovercraft appears in the sky, dropping down a ladder and pulling me up. Inside is another impressive sight, as most things in the capitol are. It has a sleek metallic design, with lights flashing and windows showing a bird's eye view of the tower and city below.

A woman with glasses and a lab coat approaches me as I stay stuck to the ladder, "This is your tracker Katniss, stay still and it will go easier."

As if I could move anyway…

She injects a sharp needle into my forearm, causing me to cringe as she pulls it back out. The woman disappears again and the ladder releases its hold on me. I'm happy to see Cinna walk out of a doorway and direct me down a hallway into our quarters.

There's another table filled with food, but I don't feel much like eating. Something inside my stomach keeps churning, and I doubt that food will help it. Eventually though, Cinna coaxes me into downing a few bowls of lamb stew, persuading me by stating that the food is hard to come by in the arena. I stare out the windows, watching the capitol disappear and give away to a lush forest of wilderness. It's amazing to see, almost like home but even more undeveloped and unsettled.

After a while the windows black out, signaling we have almost reached our destination. When the hovercraft makes touch-down, I follow Cinna down a ladder deep into the ground beneath the arena. It's my own prep room, where I go to ready myself for death.

I shower again and brush my teeth, thinking about Gale. I wonder if he is as scared and nervous as I am. Who am I kidding, it's Gale…

Cinna fixes my hair into my style, with a single braid down my back. When my clothes arrive, I dress up in a green blouse, tan pants, tight brown belt, and a thin black hooded jacket made of a thin material that falls to my thighs.

My boots come too, and I'm pleased to see they are soft, brown leather. Pulling them over my tight knee-high socks, I realize they are fitted perfectly. They have a flexible rubber sole with a great design for traction, allowing me to run easier.

Cinna tops it off by placing my gold mockingjay pin onto my shirt, gesturing for me to keep quiet about it. I silently thank him, and hide it under my jacket. All there is left to do now is wait for the games to begin…

* * *

**My **nervousness has passed, but it is quickly replaced by terror as the glass cylinder closes around me. The sounds from the room are shut out, and I slowly ascend as Cinna nods. The ride doesn't last too long, but for a few seconds I'm in complete darkness. It's one of the most nerve-racking parts, because this is where we finally get to see the arena. The tube finally ends, and the metal plate pushes me up to a blinding sunlight.

The smell of vegetation and pine trees meet my nose, and I breathe a little easier. Gale and I know no place better than the woods, so maybe we do have a chance.

I'm lifted out of the hole and onto a metal platform where a warm breeze meets my skin.

Claudius Templesmith's voice echoes across the arena, "Ladies and gentlemen, let the Seventy-fourth Hunger Games begin!"

After my eyes adjust to the light, I look around at my surroundings. They've got the tributes in a half-circle around the golden cornucopia, all standing on their plates for the next minute. This all sits in the middle of a small clearing, engulfed by tall trees and evergreens. To the right of the opening is a field of tall grass, leading off into another clearing partly hidden behind the trees. Aside from that, there really isn't much to see from here. Except of course the cache of useful items sprawled out in front of the cornucopia.

Haymitch instructed us to run off into the woods, as there is no use for risking our lives for this stuff. Gale and I decided this was a good idea, and since we had no time to devise a new plan, I suspected this was still our current one.

I look around at the other tributes, noticing a few familiar faces, like Cato, until I find Gale. He is about five tributes down the right of the semi-circle, staring back at me. My hands stop shaking so badly, and I tell myself that I'll be fine with him here.

He mouths something to me, "_Run"_, motioning with his head back to the woods. I nod back, clenching my fists as the countdown nears twenty seconds and the voice reading the numbers gives-way to a loud ticking. My heart starts racing, my legs feeling like rubber beneath me. I stare at the cornucopia, almost gasping when I notice a bow. It was pretty close to the mouth, sitting against a crate with a quiver filled with arrows lying on top of it. The bow shines silver in the sunlight, just like the one I used in the training center.

I look back at Gale, and he shakes his head. He knows exactly what I'm looking at. Forget it; I would never make it there anyway. I'm best off-

The gong rings out, shattering my thoughts, and the games begin...

* * *

**Thanks for reading!**

**Chapter 2 coming soon!**

**Please take the time to Review/Comment/Subscribe/PM or Email me with questions or ideas!**

**If you like this, feel free to check out my other stories on FictionPress, or take a look at my FictionPress co-author account "Epic Legkicker", for more great reads!  
**

_**- Legkicker**_


	2. Chapter 2: Like a Runaway

**Bows and Snares  
**

**By: Legkicker**

**Chapter 2: **Like a Runaway

**My** mind goes blank, and I stand on my platform while the chaos unfolds. The once peaceful green scenery is soon stained with the blood of the tributes. Most of them bolt straight towards the cornucopia, while a select few run off into the woods. Two or three of them actually run straight for each other, using their bare hands to battle.

I look back towards the silver bow, just as a girl with short brown hair snatches it up. I grit my teeth and clench my fists, when suddenly I'm thrown off my platform. I come down awkwardly, landing face-first onto the unforgiving ground.

Rolling to a stop in the grass, I open my eyes to see a girl with black hair pulled back behind her head and furious dark brown eyes. In her right hand she wields a small, silver knife…Clove. She had showed me enough times in the Training Center that we weren't friends. Just seeing her in this arena is enough to get my adrenaline and blood flowing.

She steps towards me, raising the blade above her head and grinning wildly. There's nothing I can do but backpedal and cover my face, until Gale appears. He slams into her, tackling her to the ground and wrestling for control of the knife. He's almost twice her size, and she realizes she can't win this fight. She resorts to screaming Cato's name.

Scrambling to my feet, I grab Gale's arm and pull him away. "Come on!"

With a final punch into Clove's face, he stands up and yanks me after him. I look back at the fights still raging on around the area. A few bodies lay sprawled across the ground, blood seeping through their clothing. Clove seems to be out cold, and Cato is fighting his way into the heart of the cornucopia.

Gale doesn't look back, he just sprints ahead. I've seen him run many times before in the woods, but never like this. I was struggling to keep up, and it felt as if he was literally dragging me behind him.

We duck deep into the forest, plants and branches whip us as we pass. The forest is thick with trees and underbrush, making it difficult to find a path. A protruding rock trips me up, and I land on my hands and knees. Gale whips around, ready to fend off another attacker.

"Relax, I just tripped," I explain, the adrenaline rush leaving me. His muscles are still tense when he scoops me up in his arms, checking my face in his hands. He uses his fingertips to wipe away some of the blood running out of my nose. I guess my fall off the platform had caused more damage than I expected…

His eyes meet mine for the first time since the gong rang. "Katniss, we have to be more careful…I was heading into the woods when I saw you just standing there! What if Clove had used her knife and not her hands to throw you off that platform?"

Embarrassment floods my face as we begin walking again. "I'm sorry, I just feel useless without a bow."

He guides me under a low lying tree, taking my hand in his. His expression looks distressed, and I feel a pang of sorrow for him. My sister was reaped, not me. If I wouldn't have volunteered, Gale wouldn't be in this position. But, that ultimatum leaves my sister here to defend herself...

"With or without a bow, I need you. We'll get your weapons, just be patient," he whispers.

* * *

**The** arena seems endless, as we pass tree after tree and rock after rock. Soon enough, my throat is dry and my body is aching. Gale seems determined though, and he presses forth every time I think we're stopping. Eventually we come to a small waterfall, leading into a river that winds down through the forest. It's enclosed in trees, and the riverbank around it is all rocks. Gale walks over, checking behind the water, and disappearing through it. He sticks his hand through the water and waves for me to join him.

Inside is a small cove, cut into the rock. Moss hangs from the walls and ceiling, while the ground is covered in vines. The water splashes against the outer lip of the entrance, sparkling in the available light. A sound grabs our attention, and it rings out again. It's the cannon, marking the death of a tribute. It booms only six times, which is a surprise considering how bad the bloodbath appeared to be.

Gale pulls me in again, hugging me for what seems like an hour before he holds me back to look at him. Why is he acting so differently? I thought we'd be our old selves once we got into the woods. I guess it's true that this will change our lives for the worse, forever. Will it always be like this now? Where I have to watch everything I do and make sure Gale is always beside me?

Suddenly, his expression hardens. "Alright, there are 22 other tributes. We want to get home as soon as possible. I say we get to work."

So I follow him back out into the forest, gathering armfuls of logs and taking them to our cave. Gale works on retrieving some more soft grasses and vegetation to line the cove. Soon enough our entrance is hidden, and the inside is a bit less uncomfortable. We leave a hole in the carpet of grasses for a place to hold our fires, and the right-side wall is stacked up with wood.

I'm watching Gale strike together two different colored rocks overtop of a pile of kindling, when a pair of voices break through the sound of the rushing water. He looks up at me, gaining alertness at my expression. We creep over to the edge of the waterfall, looking through the gaps at two tributes as they walk along the path we had come up. My heart begins beating inside my chest, pounding in my ears. We have no weapons to defend ourselves…

"Maybe this waterfall is a bit too obvious?" Gale says, more to himself than me. The two tributes look vaguely familiar; they were the pair from district 3. The boy had short brown hair, and the girl had dark skin and black hair. The boy has a metal spear in his hands, with a serrated tip, and his partner has nothing but an orange backpack slung over her shoulder.

Gale pulls me back as the boy points in our direction with his spear. We're busted, I think, as they begin walking our way. I peek out once more, just in time to see an arrow zip across the river and stick in the boy's left arm. I jump back as he spins to the ground, dropping his spear and rolling into the river. I look back at the girl, who is backing away and staring across at somebody I can't see. Another arrow flies, hitting a tree beside her. She wastes no more time, and takes off running the way they had come.

I can feel Gale breathing down my neck, watching as this all unfolds. I scoot over to the opposite side, looking out at the girl with short brown hair, my bow in her hands. She looks around carefully, struggling to notch another arrow. Eventually she gives up, slipping back into the forest.

Everything happened so fast, and ended just as quickly. The two tributes coming our way, a third tribute coming out and attacking them, and the boy being abandoned on our doorstep, all occurred within about two minutes. Now comes the question of how we should react to it.

"The boy, is he dead?" I ask. Gale keeps his eyes fixed on the other side of the river, not answering. There was no cannon, so he must still have a heartbeat. My suspicions are answered when the boy resurfaces and grasps the riverbank. The water flowing around him is dyed red with the blood leaking from his wound.

"Come on," Gale beckons for me to follow him. We step out onto the path, checking the forest for any sign of the other tributes. We walk down to the spot where the boy was clutching the shore, holding himself above the surface. His spear is lying a few feet away, and Gale snatches it. The boy looks up, startled, but too fatigued to move any further. He tries to pull himself up, squirting blood out from underneath where the arrow is stuck.

"Help me…" he pleads, looking up at Gale. I glance back and forth between them, wondering how they will handle this. It was Haymitch who instructed us to pick our allies carefully. Well, the way he said it, he found it best if we just kept it to the two of us. By the way this kid was following the girl from his district, I can guess he wasn't a safe tag-along.

He reaches his good hand up towards Gale, waiting for him to accept it.

Gale answers by smacking the spear across the boy's face, twisting his head sideways. I cringe at the sound it makes and watch hopelessly as he slides under the water. About a minute or two later, a cannon fires. He must've been alive still, drowning unconsciously.

The spear drips with blood, and he wipes it off in the grass. I'm silent as I collect the arrow sticking in the tree; if I can make a bow later, it will certainly come in handy. Gale is being quiet, and I wonder how he is taking the decision he made.

I've seen him kill animals a hundred times before, but never another human being. He did it without question, leaving that boy to drown. At first, I wasn't sure I'd be able to do it. But now, if Gale can, then there's no doubt I can too. By the way he is inspecting the spear, I can see it has affected him...

"Well, we have a weapon now," I break the silence, gesturing to the spear in his hands.

Gale seems to flinch at my words, "Yeah, let's set up some snares for tonight."

* * *

**Rabbits** and groosling are plentiful here, hiding in bushes and darting behind trees. Gale and I work slowly on creating traps for them, sharping the sticks off of rocks. The work takes a painfully long time, and we only have one mediocre snare made by the time the sun begins to set.

"We need a knife, and supplies," I say while Gale puts the finishing touches on the trap.

He can easily make a few foot-hold traps before nightfall, but they aren't nearly as effective. The spear ones can impale larger animals, giving us more food.

Gale laughs, "Hey catnip, remember when we lost your knife in the river back home? We stayed up all night looking for it?"

How could I forget that night? We had set out early in the morning, hunting and enjoying the woods all day. We tried spear fishing, and I had the idea to fix my knife onto my stick. After a while of unsuccessful fishing, the current loosened the rope and it came off inside a fish. I almost bawled, because it was my father's old hunting blade. So Gale stayed out with me all night until we found it, still stuck in the fish, almost a mile downstream. There were times at night where I would still think about that trip, to help lull me to sleep.

"Of course, our moms were so worried," I reply, staring at the trap. Gale doesn't bring up anymore memories, he just tightens and untightens his boots. Without him saying, I already know he is grieving for our past. The only thing that keeps me from doing that is telling myself we still have our future.

Besides, if we died here it would be no different than starving to death in District 12. Either way you look at it, we are going to die in the end. Only, here it may come quicker.

"I bet that girl with the orange backpack has a knife…" he finally says, bringing me back to the present time. I wouldn't doubt it, considering that almost everything in the cornucopia comes with a complimentary weapon. The goal is to get people to fight after all…

I pick two berries from a nearby bush, tossing one to him and stuff the other in my mouth, "And she's alone now."

Gale nods, looking off into the forest. The setting sun has darkened everything, making it seem a bit more intimidating. Shadows are cast from the bushes and trees, while nocturnal animals begin scurrying from their homes.

Suddenly, the Capitol's anthem plays and the seal of Panem is shown in the sky. The music plays on as faces of the fallen tributes show.

It first displays the boy from 3 that Gale killed. He's followed by the boy from 4, the boy from 5, both from 6, and both from 8. The anthem finishes and the seal disappears again. The sounds of the forest come back, and everything is normal.

Aside from the presence Gale and I both feel standing amongst us.

* * *

**Thanks for reading!**

**Chapter 3 coming soon!**

**Please take the time to Review/Comment/Subscribe/PM or Email me with questions or ideas!**

**If you like this, feel free to check out my other stories on FictionPress, or take a look at my FictionPress co-author account "Epic Legkicker", for more great reads!  
**

_**- Legkicker**_


	3. Chapter 3: Shadow at my Back

**Bows and Snares**

**By: Legkicker**

**Chapter 3:** Shadow at my Back

**Winds** whisper through the trees and rustle the leaves. The nearby stream babbles against the rocks and shines in the moonlight. The sounds of the night are growing, with crickets chirping and owls hooting. For a moment, it reminds me of home. But the feeling in my stomach reminds me that Gale and I are actually pitted in an arena of death.

My ears are straining to hear as the smallest of twigs crack and the presence becomes more noticeable. Gale is still in a crouched position, the snare no longer in his hands but instead replaced with the spear. He slowly stands, looking straight ahead into the darkness.

As soon as he does though, the feeling is gone and the presence is lost. Gale senses it to, and his shoulders relax down but the spear remains in his grasp. He turns back to me and shrugs.

"Whatever that was spooked off," he says, walking past me towards the river. I follow after him, periodically checking over my shoulder. What did we spook off?

Once we reach the river, we both stop to drink some of the water. It's cool and refreshing, and definitely placed here to bring the tributes together. I'm surprised when Gale turns left, away from the waterfall.

"Wait, where are you going?" I stop him. He looks back at me, matching my confusion.

"Finding a place to stay the night," he explains, his voice barely a whisper. I glance back to the waterfall, wondering how he could have forgotten all the work we put into it. I see no reason not to stay there, considering it offers protection and concealment on all angles. Although it would be hard to hear the approaching tributes, they only have one entrance…

Gale laughs, "You thought we'd stay in there? We'll check it in the morning…"

He continues walking down the riverbank in the opposite direction. Maybe Gale wasn't just trying to protect me. Since we got away from the cornucopia, he's been all about ending the games. The shelter set up behind the waterfall is nothing but a ploy, to capture the lone, scared tribute who wanders in. Surely it was an obvious spot, and there was a good chance we'd come across somebody in there tomorrow.

Gale didn't tell me though, which is odd. Did he really expect me to figure that out? Perhaps he was testing me, to see what I was thinking like out here. If it was, then I failed. Otherwise, this was just Gale's way of having some fun.

As I walk I'm fuming at myself for not realizing this earlier. If Gale and I aren't thinking on the same level, things can go sour. We aren't out on a hunting trip in the outlying woods of District 12. We're hunting other hunters in an artificial arena.

Gale finally ducks away from the stream, following a small runoff tributary into the woods. We take that route out into a small clearing, where a pond the size of the cornucopia lies untouched. The water shines white in the moon, and gives a slight glow to the surrounding area. Gale looks around cautiously before stepping out into the opening, taking a few minutes to walk a few steps. I just work on following his lead, trying to match his mindset.

The place seems vacant to me, considering none of the shin-high grass is trampled down and there's no puddles on the rock layer around the pond. This place seems to be untouched, and my answer comes when Gale takes a seat by the edge of the pond.

It's not the best place to set up camp, but considering there aren't many other places around it'll have to do. The grass camouflages us as long as we keep low to the ground, and the pond is another escape route, if need be.

"This should work," Gale approves, "it's a little open, but I suppose that's better since I like having the option to run or fight. Let's sleep in shifts, you sleep first…" he realizes he's ordering me around again, "Or-I can."

Although I'm not very tired, I can see Gale is more awake at the moment. Besides, I doubt either of us will get any decent sleep in this place anyway. I lay back onto the hard ground, the grass offering little comfort. Gale scoots over and rests my head on his legs, which is far better.

I can't imagine how difficult it would be to try and sleep here without him. If he wasn't with me, I'd take to the trees and find a way to secure myself in. But Gale is a bit too big to be climbing around in the branches, so this is for the best.

He seems to be calming down now, which is good. At first, I expected him to be over-protective the entire time. The cornucopia and time following was understandable I suppose, because that was a pretty big mess. Out here though, smothering me can get us killed even faster…

My eyes refuse to stay shut and I find myself staring up at the sky. The stars look similar to the ones back home, all twinkling to each other. It makes me wonder what is happening back there. All of District 12 is still watching, considering both the tributes are still alive. It's late in the day though, so they may have let the others go home for the night.

Prim must be with our mother, surely sleeping in her bed for the night. I guess my mother would rather miss as much of the games as possible, hoping Prim doesn't have to witness my death. I guess that's for the better, because I wouldn't want her watching either.

What if I hadn't volunteered? I've asked myself this question over and over again, always coming up with different scenarios. Most likely, I'd be dead inside anyway. Prim is too small and too gentle to stand a chance in this place.

Gale…he would be home with his family where he should be. I feel guilty for taking him away from them. To me, that's another reason why Gale should win. I volunteered for this, Gale just tagged along. How could I go home and face those consequences?

Peeta would be instead, hopefully making an alliance with Prim. He seemed like a nice enough kid, considering I've only had one run-in with him. He saved me once, and he doesn't need to do it again. I can't repay him, but luckily enough Gale volunteering because of me is almost like saving his life. I shouldn't be so modest…

Eventually, the soothing sounds of the forest and Gale's hand brushing my hair lull me to sleep.

* * *

**Sometime** in the middle of the night, Gale wakes me up and goes to rest. It's pretty boring, but the constant thought of death brings me back to alertness every time I start to fade. I didn't sleep too well; I continued having nightmares of the reaping.

Luckily though, the sun begins to peak up above the mountain ridge in the distance. It's a beautiful sight, the way it glows pink around the rim of the horizon and colors the cloudless sky purple. For a moment, I'm in awe, until a cannon fires and Gale leaps up.

"What happen?" he asks, darting his eyes around the pond.

I can't help but wonder who it was that just died. We won't know until tonight, but I'm more worried that they had the bow. I only saw one at the cornucopia, so if they die with it in their grasp then I can kiss it goodbye.

"Just a cannon, nobody around here," I answer him. He rubs the sleep from his eyes and splashes some of the cold pond water on his face. It may not be safe to drink, but the water back at the river seems sufficient. We just need to find a way to carry it.

Gale stands, stretching is muscles, "We need some supplies…"

The outlying forest holds many valuable foods and medicines, but I believe he's talking mainly about weapons and gear. The girl with the orange backpack must have a cache of good stuff, so she'll be our next target.

"I'll go collect some breakfast," I say, taking his hand to help me to my feet. I also stretch out the soreness that has amounted overnight.

"I'll work on making you a bow," he grins. That's another good reason why he is here. Time and time again I have tried to make another hunting bow, but I always mess something up. Gale has made one or two before, never really hunting quality, but useful enough in the hands of a good archer.

"Don't wonder off too far, I've got to find a good branch to use," he looks across the opening and points," Those bushes over there, I'd just search around the perimeter."

I follow his gaze to a patch of red berries, "Where are you going?"

He points to a tree with hanging vines, a bit too high off the ground. "I want to see if I can get some of those vines to use for the string."

So off we go, in separate directions. I must admit, I don't like the feeling it brings, but I can tell Gale is just trying to give me some breathing room. We've been together for so long these past couple of weeks that even a small space between us like this feels strange.

I'm disappointed to see the red berries turn out to be redleaf, which can make you sick to the point of immobility. I look around behind it though, and notice a few bushes containing patchfruit further into the woods. They're safe to eat in small quantities.

Turning back, I can see Gale is struggling to reach the vines. I decide to risk the few feet of seclusion, but stop myself when the feeling of a watching presence befalls me once again. I almost panic, but soon realize it must just be the awkward feeling of not being with Gale. That, and Gale is constantly looking back over his shoulder at me.

If you want to win, you have to take some risks. I step out past the redleaf bush and straight over to the other berries. I smile to myself and begin to pick them, trying to slow my heartbeat. It almost stops completely when a pinecone drops right in front of me.

I jump back, looking up into a tree where a figure is perched on a thick branch. Their attire is all black and torn, splattered with black mud and concealing their figure. Their hood is up, and a black cloth is wrapped around their face. I can see nothing beneath the cloak aside from the white glint of their black eyes.

For a moment, I don't believe what I'm seeing, until the figure rocks on his heels and crosses his arms. Then I realize that I am weaponless and defenseless…I have to get to Gale.

I let the berries fall from my hands, and I'm about to bolt when the figure shifts his position again and tilts his head curiously, "Do not fear, Katniss…"

I'm frozen in their gaze, and their words trap me. They speak with a deep voice, and their words come slowly.

"Patchfruit…" he nods to the bush, "Such delicious little berries…much prefer the yellowberry though."

He drops down from the tree branch and lands right in front of me, taking his time to get into a standing position. When I try to back away, I stumble over and land on my back. I can't take my eyes off the newcomer as he steps forward, removing a backpack from his shoulders. At first I don't realize it, but soon enough I can tell that he has smeared mud across it, covering the orange parts.

"I took the liberty of retrieving your kill…from the snare?" he removes a rabbit impaled on the end of our spear trap. "I hope you don't mind, but I also enjoyed a taste."

I flinch as he tosses the rabbit at my feet. I stare down at it, noticing a missing leg.

He looks up at the field, "Your friend has just retrieved the vine, surely to make your bow, no?"

My voice cracks and I can't get the words out, so I backpedal instead. I want so desperately to run, but my legs and body refuse to commit. Who is this guy? I met everybody in the training center, and nobody was as mysterious as this person.

He offers me his hand, willing to help me to my feet, but I just stare at it like it's the wrong end of a gun. He looks back up towards the field, dropping his hand and backing away.

"Good luck…the other bow hides in the field of daisy…I'll be watching," he says, turning to leave. "Oh, and one more thing," he unzips his pack again, digging around inside, "If you need to transport water, look no further."

He tosses me a silver bottle, nozzle dripping with water. I take it from the ground with a shaky hand, feeling the cold steel. I jump again as Gale appears from the bushes behind me with his spear in hand.

"What happened?" he asks in bewilderment. I look back to the stranger, only to find he has disappeared.

I search around rapidly for any sign of him, shocked he could exit with such stealth. I give up, disappointed in myself. I froze up…and I'm lucky to be alive.

Gale helps me back onto my feet and brushes me off. My hands are dripping with berry juice and mud.

"Where did you get the rabbit and water bottle?" he asks confused.

I take both of them and inspect them in my hands, "I-I don't know." Suddenly I want to get as far away from the forest as possible, so I grab Gale and pull him back to the pond.

I explain what occurred, and Gale is frustrated. We only separated for a second, and I put my life at risk.

The problem is, I didn't feel at risk…

* * *

**Thanks for reading!**

**Chapter 4 coming soon!**

**Please take the time to Review/Comment/Subscribe/PM or Email me with questions or ideas!**

**If you like this, feel free to check out my other stories on FictionPress, or take a look at my FictionPress co-author account "Epic Legkicker", for more great reads!**

_**- Legkicker**_


	4. Chapter 4: Fuel to the Fire

**Bows and Snares**

**By: Legkicker  
**

**Chapter 4: **Fuel to the Fire**  
**

"_**Do** not fear, Katniss."_

His voice echoes in my mind all morning, while I continuously check the surrounding woods. Gale is also on high alert, still struggling to grasp what had happened. I keep retelling the story, over and over again, hoping it will eventually make sense.

No tribute spares another tribute's life…the games are based on the simple concept of kill or be killed. Possibly, a tribute might be passive to repay another one, but they never supply each other with food and water.

Well, at least not to random tributes, those who are not in an alliance with you. But he didn't seem to want an alliance, he just walked away…

I match the cannon from this morning to the girl with the orange backpack, or so I suppose. How else would that mysterious stranger obtain it? He may have spared my life, but I doubt he is so kind to the others in this arena. Which begs the question…why me?

The sunlight is growing brighter and stronger by the second, warming the cool woods and evaporating the morning dew. It's a beautiful time to experience the outdoors, as Gale and I have done many times before. Clouds seem to be invading from the west, rolling over the trees and mountains. We may be in for a storm today.

Gale takes out his frustration on the makeshift bow he is creating. He found a sturdy, yet flexible, stick to make the actual 'bow' out of. It should work great along with the vine I'm twisting together for the string. It's tedious work, pulling the strands of vine apart and twisting them together into a strong fiber.

"We can't make arrows without a knife…" Gale mumbles. He's so focused on his work, it's as if he can't even hear himself speak. He's right though, considering we can't make notches, arrow holders, fletching, or even guides on the bow.

"Alright, then let's check the cave," I suggest. He seems to like the idea, pausing from his work and grinning at me. He'll do anything to end these games a bit faster.

* * *

**Rain** clouds begin forming in the sky as we break through the woods and walk down towards the stream. We follow it up the riverbank towards the cave, Gale leading with his spear. I brought along my half-finished bow, although it is useless at the moment.

As we are closing in, Gale freezes and points ahead. I peer around him to see a thick line of a dark red liquid leading from the woods to the back of the waterfall. Seeing how most of the blood is dried, it can't be too fresh of a wound.

"Are you ready?" Gale asks. I nod, following him closely. We slowly creep along the side until we're at the mouth of the waterfall. My heart starts racing again, because this could be it. If the cave is occupied, then somebody isn't coming out alive.

Gale adjusts his grip on the spear, leaning forward and lunging through the waterfall. I jump in after him, the water blinding me and hitting me like a wall. There's no time to worry about it though, and I open my eyes to a grim sight.

A girl rests in the corner of the cave, clutching her side and shivering. Blood covers her hands, pooling on the ground beneath her.

Her dark skin and fluffy black hair give it away, she's the girl from District 11…Rue. She's the youngest one in the arena, at the age of 12, sitting here in the cave and covering a deep wound. She looks up at us, her face dull and expressionless. Her golden eyes light up when she sees me though, and she reaches a hand out in my direction.

Out of all the things I expected to encounter coming into this cave, this never crossed my mind. We were both so ready to jump in and kill, that we forgot that there was still good in this arena after all.

Gale drops his spear, quickly running to her side and inspecting the wound. I'm not like my mother and Prim, I can't heal like they do. But even I can tell this is an irreversible wound, it's cut too deep and has gone untreated for too long.

"Who did this?" Gale asks with anger in his voice. I work the courage to walk over and take her hand, and she holds onto it like a lifeline. I crouch beside her, stroking her hair and staring at Gale. He's good at fixing me when I'm hurting, but I don't know if he can help here.

"The girl…from 2," she coughs up blood as she speaks. The female tribute of 2, Clove. Of course, the throwing knife sticking out of Rue's side should've been enough for me to figure that out. How could anybody, even someone as heartless as Clove, hurt somebody like Rue?

Gale lets his head drop, muttering to himself. I can tell he's taking all the blame, considering he had a chance to kill her on the first day. It was me though, that pulled him away. So, in a way, Rue's pain is my fault.

"They're at the…cornucopia. Win, will you?" Rue asks, her eyes fluttering. All I can hear is Prim's voice, asking if I'll try to win for her. Rue always reminded me of her, even in the training center and the chariot rides. I should've helped her in this arena, but it's all too late now.

"Of course…I'll try," I answer solemnly. I look at Gale again, with tears in my eyes. I can't look back as Rue's grip on my hand slowly releases, and her whole body goes limp. A few seconds later, the cannon sounds.

Gale gently removes her hand from the handle of the knife, sliding it out and dropping it to the ground. Without a word, he lifts her up in his arms, and carries her out of the cave into the open air.

I take my time, picking up the bloody knife and following him out.

"Was it worth it?" Gale asks, looking up at the sky. At first, I think he's talking to me, but then I realize he's talking to the capitol. He slowly sets her down in the soft grass for the hovercraft to retrieve. With one last look back, he puts his arm around me and we walk back down the path to our pond sanctuary.

* * *

**Rue** gave us the knife we needed, and Gale was determined to put it to good use. He takes out his anger on the wood, carving out the arrows and notches. It's only a little after high-noon by the time he's got the bow strung and ready to use arrows.

"I'm going to use this knife, to kill Clove myself," Gale says, glancing up at me and handing me another arrow to fletch. I wrap a thin strand of vine around a trio of leaves, securing them to the back of the shaft.

"Or I will," I say, setting the finished arrow with the other two. Our rabbit is almost finished cooking, over the low coals we have made. It was the least we could do to hide the smoke.

Suddenly, the cannon fires, startling us both and catching our attention. We listen to it echo off the forest and dissipate back into the whistling birds and animals. Oh well, that just means we have one less tribute to worry about.

Gale stares at the bow for a long time, before finally handing it over to me with a smile.

"Take it easy, but let's try it out," he says. I take the best arrow we have, the one I got from the other archer on the first day, and notch it to the string. The cut-out is a bit snug, which is good, and the arrow rests nicely on the guide.

Gale walks out about fifteen yards, setting up a log and walking back. It's a small target, only about the size of a groundhog.

I set my feet, getting into a shooting stance, and grasp the string with three fingers. The vine is still a bit slippery, so I get a better hold on it and take my time to get used to the feel. Once my grip is good, I take a deep breath in, drawing back the string and taking aim. I was afraid the string would snap, or the bow would collapse under the pressure, but luckily it holds up.

Remembering my mistake from the training center, I take into account just what kind of bow I am using. This is no hunting bow, competition bow, or anything of that sort. It is a stick with a string attached. The draw-length is near perfect, allowing me to get my release-point. The draw-weight is bit odd, flexing too much, but only a little under what my bow back home has.

I hold my sight on the target, slowly exhaling and letting the string begin to slip from my fingers. The string slides off, sending the arrow flying towards the log. It collides, sticking into the bottom about half a foot below where I was aiming.

"Yeah!" Gale laughs, patting my shoulder. I laugh along with him, surprised that the arrow went even remotely where I was aiming. That half-foot could be the difference between a dead tribute and a wounded one, but it is better than nothing. The horizontal accuracy is good, but my vertical aim needs adjusting to the draw-weight. The little lack of power makes the arrow drop faster, so I need to aim a bit higher than usual.

"Now we're lethal…what do you say we go pay the careers a visit?" Gale proposes.

I'm shocked, both at the bow working so well and at what Gale is saying. To my relief, he laughs again.

"We'll eat first, and then just go see what they have going on, alright?"

* * *

**Making** our way to the cornucopia was easy enough, we just backtracked the whole way from the stream. It was quite a hike, but we made it there sometime in the middle of the afternoon. It gave off an eerie feeling when we got close, like we were being watched. It was really the first time I even thought about the cameras. They've been watching us this whole time, and that's why Gale said what he did after Rue died.

Still, I'm not sure if I'm supposed to be smiling or acting distressed. Haymitch is probably losing his mind right now, considering I haven't even thought about him. I have almost everything I need right now though, including food, water, weapons, and Gale. Haymitch has a time and place, just not yet.

The thinning woods warn us that we are getting close. There are even some noticeable foot prints on the ground, telling us that somebody has come this way. They won't last too long though, especially with the rain that's beginning to drizzle down on us.

Gale crouches low to the ground, and I follow his lead up to the bushes outlying the perimeter of the clearing. Every one of my hunting senses are straining. My eyes pick up the tiniest of movements, my ears hear the faintest of noises, and my nose smells every scent of the damp forest.

The bushes are thick and do a great job of concealing our entrance. We stop at the edge, scanning around the area. The cornucopia is no longer littered with dead bodies, and the supplies are no longer scattered.

Instead, they've been moved to the mouth, going around it like an arch. It must be the Careers 'headquarters'.

"What are they doing?" Gale asks. I notice it also, as two female tributes walk out of the woods with arms filled with logs, and another woman who follows them with a sword. I can't tell for sure, but her golden hair and display of dominance tells me it's Glimmer, District 1's female tribute.

"Looks like she's making them do the work," I say. Slaves would be a better word to describe the scene. Glimmer pushes them around, shoving them from behind and laughing when they drop a log or two. They carry the firewood inside, returning with empty arms as the rain begins to pour. Depending on how many of the tributes they have working like this, it would explain the lack of deaths thus far.

"Katniss, look!" Gale whispers harshly, pointing towards the cornucopia.

Sitting atop the clash of metal, on the very tip, is the dark figure from before…the one who spared my life and supplied me with food and water.

"That's the one who gave me the water bottle," I reply, tilting my head in confusion. He sits motionless, like a gargoyle, looking down at the two female tributes who sit in the mud, soaking in the rain. It seems like nobody even notices he's there, aside from Gale and I.

I could swear he wasn't there when we arrived. My eyes had glanced over that spot once or twice, but how would he just appear?

A small gasp escapes my throat, as the figure's head slowly turns our way.

* * *

**Thanks for reading!**

**Chapter 5 coming soon!**

**Please take the time to Review/Comment/Subscribe/PM or Email me with questions or ideas!**

**If you like this, feel free to check out my other stories on FictionPress, or take a look at my FictionPress co-author account "Epic Legkicker", for more great reads!  
**

_**- Legkicker**_


	5. Chapter 5: A Glimmer of Hope

**Bows and Snares**

**By: Legkicker  
**

**Chapter 5: **A Glimmer of Hope**  
**

**Gale** and I are frozen under his stare.

The light rain has since turned into a torrential downpour, with lightning flashing and thunder booming. Winds kick up too, blowing the rain into our faces and momentarily blinding us. Gale just stares right back at the figure, determined not to take his eyes off him.

But then something else catches all of our attention, coming out of the mouth of the cornucopia. It's Glimmer, and she's dragging another girl by her black hair. The captive girl kicks and screams, trying to break free of Glimmer's hold.

She drags the girl out to our side of the cornucopia, releasing her and unsheathing a sword. The grin on Glimmer's face tells me this is the end for the girl on the ground, who begs for her life. The pleading just makes Glimmer laugh, and she steps back, ready to plunge the sword into the girl's chest.

But just as she's lunging forward, something crashes beside her. It lands in a heap, a black mass.

"What the hell?" Gale asks, startling me even more. His eyes dart from the top of the cornucopia to the black pile beside Glimmer. It's the figure from the perch, he must've fallen off. Maybe it was the rain, causing the sides to become slippery.

Glimmer is in shock, and her attention is drawn long enough that the girl she was about to execute takes off into the woods. It doesn't seem to bother her, and she walks over to the fallen man with her sword pointed out. As she approaches, she grows less and less cautious.

Finally, she goes to poke him with the sword. He still doesn't move, but the cannon has not yet sounded to mark his death. Or perhaps the thunder has toned it out…

Regardless, Glimmer raises her sword, ready to strike him. This is it, the end of the shadowy figure…

But suddenly, in a flash the figure whips his feet around and takes out her legs.

She flops onto her back and loses control of the sword, sending it a few feet away. The figure jumps onto his feet, retrieving the blade and slipping it into his open backpack. Glimmer recovers quickly, staring at him in surprise.

"Who are you?" she shouts.

The man must also raise his voice, to make himself heard over the rain, "Yes, perhaps we should become more acquainted…before I break you."

"Marvel! Cato!" Glimmer cries, struggling to stand. The mud makes it difficult for her to get up, and she slips a few times before giving up. The figure just watches, apparently amused at her consistent failing. Gale is straining to hear all the missing conversation, pushing the limit of our boundaries. I'm sucked in too though, and we get as close as we can to hear.

"My apologies, but your friends seem to be out for the evening…while you hold down the fort?" He takes a step her way, and she scrambles up against the cornucopia. "What do you say we…settle this alone?"

So that's where the others are, out for the evening. They're probably using the rain to quiet their approaches on the unsuspecting tributes. They left Glimmer to defend the stash of goods. It makes sense, considering nobody in this arena would attempt fighting her…except for this guy.

Glimmer gets to her feet easily this time, with an expression of pure anger. She dives in, attempting to tackle him, but he catches her shoulders, head-butting her and letting her drop down once again.

"Ah, you use your anger in battle? You think it will aid you? No, it will only blind you!" he says, swinging a kick into her side. She rolls over, quickly getting back onto her feet.

She screams in rage, bringing around a right hook that catches him in the face. He didn't see it coming, and the force turns his head and causes him to stumble away.

He regains his stance, "Let us even the odds," he offers, pulling out a knife from a sheath on his side. He twirls it in his hands, flashing the blade around.

Then he does something completely insane; he tosses the knife to Glimmer. She dodges it like an attack, quickly realizing it wasn't.

Gale shifts for a better view, "Did he just give her that knife?"

Glimmer cautiously scoops it up, her hands shaking in fear and anger. She maintains her distance, keeping her eyes trained on him. The storm is beginning to let up, turning into a light rain with less thunder and wind. Even the clouds are thinning, becoming a light grey as opposed to the looming blackness.

"Who are you?" Glimmer asks the question on all of our minds. Gale and I both really strain and lean forward to hear this. Ever since our first encounter, I've been mulling it over in my head. I thought he was a career with ties to the others, but apparently not.

The figure relaxes, "Dearest Glimmer, I'm an element of the darkness…I'm _Umbra_. From the ancient tongue, meaning the 'shadow'."

Umbra? So that's what he calls himself. He came into this arena to live some twisted fantasy. No tribute's name that was reaped was even remotely close to that. Well, he must be a career, but from some outlying district. It's rare to see careers from districts of a higher number, but not unheard of.

Glimmer looks confused, before bursting out laughing, "That might be the stupidest thing I've ever heard!"

The two stare each other down, walking in a slow circle. Glimmer flips the knife between her hands, and Umbra follows her every move. Two very deadly tributes locked in a one on one battle. It's another suspenseful game of cat and mouse. I'm not sure who I want to win more…

Glimmer lunges after him, thrusting the knife in. At first, it appears she hits him, but really she misses between his arm and side. Umbra clamps down on her hand, using his free one to bash her face three times before letting her go.

Blood pours from her nose and drips from her open mouth. She doesn't seem scared though, but instead she is even more infuriated. That's actually an understatement; she's really blinded with rage.

"Wait until Marvel comes back, you're dead!" she taunts him.

Gale turns his head back to me, looking me up and down for a moment. I'm not sure if he's just seeing my reaction to the situation or silently asking a question.

"We have to go, the rain is letting up and they'll be back soon," he says.

He's right, there's no point in sitting here watching this fight and risking our lives. We came solely to see what the careers had set up. What we learned was they had slaves, and they were working to turn the cornucopia into their little base-camp. We got our bonus info getting the name of the shadowy tribute, Umbra.

We'd hear a cannon later, and wonder who it was that died. I could live with that, considering we'd find out once they show the fallen later tonight.

"Aren't we all?" Umbra creeps her way, "A group of cattle, awaiting the slaughter house…we're merely pawns in a game of deception, a drop of rain in a storm…all inevitably crashing to the ground."

That sounds like some of the thoughts that run through my head. I've never looked at this arena and thought more of it than the fact it was all just a 'game'. I can't put my finger on what he is implying, and it's no easier with Gale trying to coax me to leave. There's no way I can go now though, as this is too captivating.

Glimmer lashes out at him once more, but he ducks the knife and catches her hand. She knees his stomach, and he yanks the knife out of her grasp. She tries to reacquire it, but Umbra spins around, bringing a fist into her stomach.

It's enough to knock the wind out of her and send her down onto her back. For the most part, the fight appears to be over. Even Gale has stopped trying to leave, too intrigued not to watch.

Umbra relaxes his shoulders, while Glimmer sucks in air. I've never seen her in such a vulnerable position before. Usually it's her opponents or whoever gets in her way lying on the ground. I don't know if I should be happy or afraid that she lost.

Umbra stares at the knife, "Dearest Glimmer, don't let me catch you playing the games…ever again."

He sheathes the blade, and turns his back to walk away.

I'm in shock, completely appalled that he's leaving without finishing the job. Glimmer! A career tribute! One less career to worry about is taking a huge weight off our shoulders! Umbra, why does he act like he's some savior? Why does he feel like he's above killing?

Then it hits me, he won't play the games. This whole time he's been out to help people, and he won't kill Glimmer because that's what the Capitol wants. The backpack…must've been a gift in return or perhaps taken from the body of the girl.

"What? Come back and fight me!" Glimmer jumps to her feet, her face even more bloody than before. "Don't turn your back on me!"

She charges after him, ready to pounce, and it all happens so fast…

Umbra anticipated her strike perfectly, stopping in his tracks and side stepping out of the way. His knife is back out in a second, and he plunges it deep into her chest as she crashes onto the ground.

Glimmer collapses into a heap, just the way Umbra did when he fell from the cornucopia. She lies in a pile on the muddy ground, too shocked to react to the failed attack.

Now it's really over, and I'm supposed to feel satisfied. But, the way Umbra reacts makes me feel horrible.

He doesn't gloat, or even say one of his nifty one-liners. He doesn't walk away, he doesn't rejoice in his kill. In fact, he shows more sympathy than I have ever seen.

He crouches down beside her, rolling her over to reveal the knife's handle sticking out of her chest. There's no more fight in her, and instead she gags on her own blood while he takes her muddy hand. That's the hand that tried to kill him, and he takes hold of it like no fight ever occurred between them.

"I warned you," he sighs, dropping his head. She accepts his hand, holding it between both of hers, close to the knife. Even though it's Glimmer, one of the careers out to kill us all, I can barely watch. Gale puts an arm around my shoulders; constantly making sure the area is still safe.

The rain is nothing but a soft mist now, with the sunlight attempting to poke holes in the clouds. The wind whispers in softly, but only enough to cool your skin and make you shiver.

Umbra strokes back Glimmer's golden hair, wiping the blood away from her face with his gloved hands. The scene reminds me of Rue, how I did almost the exact same thing.

"Poor, poor girl, what a fate life has dealt you…" he sooths, "Forced into a life of training, dreaming of a time of prosperity, and only now the realization of your struggle's consequences has revealed itself to you…" he pauses for a moment to kiss her hand, "I do not promote what you did, but I understand it was all…but an act."

Glimmer can't speak, she just spurts out blood while the life slowly drains out of her.

"I know…your struggle is over. Go now, and follow the path of light…" Umbra holds her until her body gives up and she finally passes. Once her body goes limp, he presses his forehead to their hands and sits in silence, letting the drizzling rain fall upon them. Finally, he lets her go.

He still waits a minute longer, closing her eyes, retrieving the knife, and getting to his feet.

"_P__ax__, __iuvenes__…__dormire bene__, sweet Glimmer,"_ he says barely audible. He cleans the knife in the grass before slipping it back into the sheath.

And just like that, one of the career tributes is gone. I never expected to live and see the day one passed, nor did I expect it to be so heart-wrenching. It was as if Umbra knew her personally, but not as you would a friend. No, Umbra knew her struggle, and he showed his sympathy. He gave her a chance, but in the end, he was right…we all must die.

I wish I knew what he said, speaking again in his ancient language. I'm sure it was another sign of gratitude. Who should I feel sorry for?

"Come on, let's go…" Gale whispers, "Our pond is probably flooded by now."

There's no reason to stay anymore, so I turn with him to leave. I look over my shoulder once more, not so surprised to see Umbra watching us exit. He knew we were here all along, yet he's not one to seek confrontation.

Why else would he supply me with the water bottle? Why didn't he just jump Glimmer instead of playing dead? He went out to teach her a lesson, but unfortunately she wanted more. He toyed with her for fun, but in the end he was just about to let her live.

If it was his choice, he would remain passive.

He prefers it this way…silently watching.

Just like a shadow…

* * *

**A/N: Most of this was written listening to: ** watch?v=Z0kGAz6HYM8&list=PL673513B4B4C5DBD4&feature=mh_lolz

**Thanks for reading!**

**Chapter 6 coming soon!**

**Please take the time to Review/Comment/Subscribe/PM or Email me with questions or ideas!**

**If you like this, feel free to check out my other stories on FictionPress, or take a look at my FictionPress co-author account "Epic Legkicker", for more great reads!  
**

_**- Legkicker**_


	6. Chapter 6: Night Light

**Bows and Snares**

**By: Legkicker  
**

**Chapter 6: **Night Light**  
**

**It's** a long walk back to our pond, and upon arrival there is no good news. The area has flooded out, causing the ground around it to become marshy and uninhabitable. So we move again, this time locating a wide meadow, filled with daisies and colorful flowers. A tall oak tree sits on the outskirts, and Gale and I decide it's probably the best place to stay.

Here we have a good view of our surroundings, along with no possibility of flooding. Unless the Gamemakers burn it down, this would inevitably be our new hideout. It provides a view across the tops of the trees, showing the mountains in the far distance. It's a nice place to stay as nightfall approaches, and the setting sun colors the sky a beautiful orange glow.

The trunk and branches are big enough for Gale to make his way up to the nook where four large branches jut out making a semi-basket.

Along the way over here, we managed to obtain one squirrel with my bow, and collected an assortment of berries. I was lucky the squirrel was curious of us instead of cautious. My shot wasn't in its normal place, right in the eye, but rather it landed in the center mass. We decided to wait a bit longer to light a fire and cook, that way our smoke would be concealed. The careers are notorious firemen after all.

So, instead we sit in silence, eating berries and thinking about the day's events. So much had happened…

First, we woke up and met Umbra in the woods. That was at daybreak, as soon as the sun was rising and Gale began making my bow. After that run in, we decided to check our cave trap, unfortunately finding that Rue had crawled into there.

We went back to our pond, made the bow, and set out towards the cornucopia. That took some time just getting to it, and we wasted an hour or so once we arrived. We learned that the careers had slaves, thus making for the lack in deaths.

Not including Glimmer, who was slain by Umbra.

Then we left from there, and walked the long walk back to our pond…only to discover it was ruined by the rains. So we headed this way, finding the meadow and crawling into our tree sanctuary.

That concludes today's events…

* * *

**As** the trees rustle in the wind, the sun disappears behind the mountain. It had finally broken through the clouds, but only briefly before ducking away for the night. The temperature seems to plummet afterwards, making me rub my arms to stay warm.

Eventually, once the light is gone, the seal appears and the anthem plays. It's blue-grey glow lights up the night sky, and the music drowns out the animals in the forest.

First to appear in the fallen is the girl from District 3, who carried the orange back pack. She's followed by Rue, and the girl from 9…lastly followed by Glimmer.

The seal reappears and the music continues until both fade out. Crickets and sounds of the woods resume once again, and I'm left to think to myself. Well, Gale is here, but he seems so deeply immersed in his own thoughts that I doubt he even notices me.

"What's on your mind Gale?" I ask. He looks up at me and offers a weak smile. It must be about the cornucopia, or at least I presume because we think alike and that's all I can focus on.

"Just thinking about what happened today…what we'll do tomorrow," he answers with a long sigh.

We don't really have any goals set right now. We have food, water, and weapons. The cornucopia is held down tight by the careers, and Umbra lurks in the surrounding forest. I guess the only thing to do is survive on a day to day basis.

"Why is Umbra…so different?" he asks suddenly. "Why does he offer everybody help, even the careers?"

Those questions have been on my mind all day as well. But it brings me back to the girl with the orange backpack. Somehow, Umbra got his hands on it, but it's not impossible that somebody else killed her and he obtained it. That, or perhaps he stole it, but in the end that might lead to her demise. I'm in no position to ask him how he got it at the moment.

"I'm not sure, he said something about not playing the games," I reply. "I think he just wants everybody to stop killing each other."

Gale snorts, "I've been telling you for years, if everybody-"

"Would stop watching then they'd have no games," I finish for him with a smile. The talk reminds me of home, sitting in the meadow with Gale. I can close my eyes and pretend I'm back there for a second. Everything here reminds me of it, the smell of the daisies, the dampness of the tree bark we sit on, the rustling leaves, even the view of the mountains in the distance.

"But Umbra is lethal, he killed Glimmer so easily," Gale continues, "And afterwards he seemed so hurt."

I stare up at the stars, "Because he didn't want to, he was just warning her to stop playing the games…and when she chased him he realized she wasn't going to. She had to die."

Umbra did intend to spare her life after all. It was Glimmer who sought out the end of the fight. Originally, Umbra toppled off the cornucopia and saved the girl. If Glimmer had just run away then, I'm sure he would have left her be.

Gale's tone changes, "What do we do about him?"

From the question, I can tell Gale is worried he may come after us. I'm not sure what to think of him, considering he helped us before and could've easily taken one of us out. In fact, he's probably sitting amongst the trees listening to our conversation.

"Nothing, why would we? He can take out as many careers as he wants, and we won't have to," I say. Let Umbra deal with our enemies, we can just hide. Gale and I need to worry about ourselves, getting home safely.

Gale's eyes lock onto something in the meadow behind me, "Look, a fire!"

I twist around to look, and sure enough there's a small fire, flames licking the night sky. A dark figure sits by it, warming their hands in the blaze. Their back is turned to us, so it's hard to make out who it is. Good thing we didn't light our fire first, otherwise we'd be in the defensive position.

"I guess we can't cook our squirrel," I say, turning back and crossing my arms. But by the way Gale keeps staring tells me he doesn't want to just sit here and watch. I can't imagine him going after anybody aside from the careers.

"Maybe we should go talk to them…make an alliance?" Gale suggests.

For a second, I think he's kidding. Gale isn't one to make friends, especially in a place like this. I have to turn around and look at the girl again to make sure he's talking about the same person.

Haymitch clearly told us we had no reason for alliances. I mean, Rue was an exception, but this is some random stranger. If we teamed up, somebody would eventually get a knife in the back.

"They look helpless, and if we don't then the careers will get her," he explains. His whole attitude changed so quickly, I'm almost in shock. First he's worried Umbra might attack us, now he's trying to act like him.

I pop up in anger, "No! We aren't about to make an alliance with some random person!"

"Why should we sit here and watch somebody die? I've already got blood on my hands…" Gale says. "We could save people's lives-"

I throw my hands up, "Save lives? For how long? In a week, there's only one person walking out of here."

"Not if we stop playing the games! Don't you get what Umbra is doing? If we don't play the games, they'd have to kill us themselves…what kind of 'entertainment' is that?" Gale nearly shouts. We both check to see if the girl making the fire heard us. She cranes her neck around, but eventually just returns to the fire.

Gale needs to watch himself, because if the Gamemakers get the hint of what he just implied we're all dead. The people want to see Umbra going around, he's mysterious and entertaining, so the Gamemakers won't kill him off just yet. But Gale and I are just two kids stuck in a doomed arena.

"Fine, if you want to make an alliance, then you go right ahead!" I pout, looking away from him and expelling a breath of air.

"Alright then," Gale slips his feet around the branch he sits on. He looks at me with a smirk, "Do you want me to call somebody to help get the cat out of the tree?"

He ducks my foot as I try to kick him, laughing as he slides down the trunk. "Gale, be careful!" I whisper harshly down to him. It's alright, he won't actually go through with it if I just sit here…will he?

I can't believe he's doing this. What if he gets attacked? This is the worst idea he's ever had! Soon enough, watching him disappear into the grassy meadow, I feel so nervous I have to follow him. The grass below the tree is muddy and sloshy beneath my feet. I mumble to myself the whole way over just how stupid this was. Why does he have to be so stubborn?

The meadow is filled with knee-high grass and flowers. It's such a cold night, the wind stings when it blows. Darkness overwhelms me like a blanket, blinding me to the surroundings. The only available light comes from the fire, and I make a beeline towards it. The wet grass makes for a good, stealthy approach.

Gale is sitting in the middle of my beeline, a few yards away from the girl, and I almost topple over him. The moon is shining brightly now, and it illuminates the grassy meadow. Perhaps the Gamemakers are watching us, and they want us to be able to see her more easily…possibly hoping for a fatal confrontation.

The girl just sits by the fire, clearly shivering, and rubbing her hands together.

"It's the girl with the bow," Gale points out. The silver bow from the cornucopia glints in the fire, leaning across her legs. A quiver is hanging off her back, and it's missing quite a few arrows.

"I doubt she can use it, her fingers must be numb," I say. I've hunted in the winter, and I can say it's no fun trying to draw back a bowstring when your fingers won't commit. I don't understand how she could be so cold…until I realize her hooded jacket is gone. She's left with just an undershirt and pants. The rest of her clothing is drying by the fire.

That makes sense now, considering I'm already shivering with my warm, dry clothing wrapped on tightly. I can't imagine how cold she must be, wet skin and damp clothing in this temperature must be like getting caught in a blizzard.

For a few minutes we just sit in silence, watching her. Her whole body trembles, and an unsightly gash bleeds from her arm. Her eyes are teary and her lip quivers while the fire barely keeps her warm. Just as Gale is about to move in, she speaks to herself.

"I'm sorry my brother, my sister, but I won't be coming home," she whispers with glazed eyes. She focuses on the fire, "I failed you."

She lets the bow slide off her lap onto the ground and removes the quiver from her back. It takes her some time because she is slowly freezing to death. Her lack of clothing is like a vice slowly closing in on her.

Gently, she starts to sing.

"_Follow the sun to the bending grass, _

_Between the mountains through the pass,_

_A songbird sings his tone so sweet,_

_Listens the traveler with weary feet,_

_Once in the valley there is no return,_

_This is the home which you will learn…"  
_

Gale and I listen to the song until the girl closes her eyes and allows herself to fall back.

* * *

**A/N: Most of this was written listening to: **YouTube - /watch?v=vQVeaIHWWck

**Thanks for reading!**

**Chapter 7 coming soon!**

**Please take the time to Review/Comment/Subscribe/PM or Email me with questions or ideas!**

**If you like this, feel free to check out my other stories on FictionPress, or take a look at my FictionPress co-author account "Epic Legkicker", for more great reads!  
**

_**- Legkicker**_


	7. Chapter 7: Decisions Decisions

**Bows and Snares**

**By: Legkicker  
**

**Chapter 7: **Decisions Decisions**  
**

**Moonlight** mixes in with the glow of the burning embers to shine off the bow at her feet. For a second, I'm more worried about it than I am the girl. I'm not exactly sure how to approach the situation. We need that weapon but we don't need an alliance, and Gale still seems intent on helping her out.

"Is she dead?" I ask. He scurries close to the ground over to her, cautiously approaching her lifeless body. I've never seen somebody drop like that…except when they die. There have been a few times in my house when my mother would try to save a dying man, and they would shut off like that.

"No, she's breathing, but she's in bad shape. Help me out?" he answers.

I make my way over to him, checking the surrounding area in the available light. It's hard to see the forest, and scary enough nonetheless. Who knows what the Gamemakers could release in this place. I've seen enough terrifying things in the woods before…

Luckily for us, or so I suppose, the girl is passed out cold, literally. The temperature of her body must be so low it is restricting blood flow, because she's as pale as the moon. Her short brown hair is still soaked through, and her clothing is no better. She must've either fallen in the river or gotten caught in the rain.

For the past few nights, it's been a relatively decent temperature. This just goes to show how horrible the Gamemakers really are. They knew this could kill the girl, and somehow, they also knew it would draw us in. It almost makes me laugh, because they probably expected us to kill her. Not when you're dealing with Gale...he's one step ahead of the game.

Gale pats her cheek, trying to wake her up with no success, "We need to find a way to dry her out."

So we both take an end of her body and drag her beside the fire. Gale pulls her hair away from her face and tries to rub down her arms, but I can tell he's taking some affect to the cold now as well. We can't risk him losing feeling in his fingers and not being able to grip a spear.

"If we make the fire bigger, she'll dry quicker…" Gale suggests. It's a risky idea, the careers could be lurking around this very meadow. A bright fire in the night is as clear as smoke against a blue sky, if not clearer.

I nod my approval, and Gale jogs back to the forest. The silver bow and quiver of perfect arrows lie by the fire, and I waste no time snatching them up. I'm not about to leave these with another tribute…

Besides, now Gale can have my makeshift bow and we'll be twice as dangerous. So I throw the quiver onto my back and check out the new bow. It's the same one from the Training Center, so I'll know just how to use it.

I chase after him, meeting under our oak tree and hand over the old bow and arrows.

He snaps off a few branches and sticks from the tree and hands a bundle to me.

We start walking back over when a strange noise catches my attention. It's faint, but enough to make my ears perk up and my eyes narrow. I stop walking, and Gale freezes immediately.

We both spin in a slow circle, easily catching sight of the approaching tributes from the right side. They talk loudly as they walk along the tall grass on the far side of the meadow, exiting from the tree line and heading our way. There are three of them, and they're all armed. Their spears and swords glint in the moonlight, telling me they're careers.

"They're heading right for her…" Gale whispers. Sure enough, one of them points out the fire, and they get into stalk mode.

Suddenly, I realize we're too close for comfort, only about ten yards away from the girl. Gale also notices, and we both duck down into the high grass. I quietly set my bundle of sticks onto the ground and try to quiet my heavy-breathing. As they near, my heart begins racing and my blood starts flowing.

It seems like forever before the tributes get close enough to see their faces, partially hidden through the grass. My heart really starts going and my blood starts boiling when I see Clove. With her long black hair, dancing around her face and covering her dark eyes as she approaches.

She came prepared for combat with a stack of throwing knives, along with Marvel and his spears. It's the first time I've ever gotten a good look at him. He's skinny, and taller than I had originally noticed. His hair is brown and a bit curly, and his eyes seem to be a greenish color, although it's not easy to tell in this darkness.

The third guy seems to be a captive, or at least I assume since he's not a normal career. From what I remember at the Training Center, there were only four careers; Marvel, Glimmer, Cato, and Clove.

This third guy is also tall, with short black hair and dark-brownish eyes. I remember him enough to recall he's the guy from 7. In his right hand he holds a short-sword, similar to one Cato uses. It's confusing to me, why would they go around with this guy? Cato is still alive as far as I know, and they can't trust this tribute won't go off the deep end.

Glimmer's passing must've really made him mad. He's probably staying back and watching the cornucopia. Good thing too, because he's the last guy I'd want to encounter in the woods.

"Well, well, look who we caught napping!" Marvel laughs. They all close in, circling around the small glowing fire. When the girl remains 'frozen', they all exchange glances. So do Gale and I, but we just stay still and watch through the grass.

"Wait a minute…" Marvel grins at the guy from 7, "That's the girl from your District! Well, she should be easy enough!"

The guy doesn't know how to respond, he just stares at her limp body and shakes his head. I can't imagine being put into that situation. Even if you had no attachments to the person, they're from your home District. If you won the games, you'd have to go back and face their family.

"I can't-" he begins.

Clove steps in with a knife poised to his neck, "You do it or I kill both of you…slowly." Her silver knife flashes around his chin and touches his check. She pulls it away, laughing. It makes me sick to see the enjoyment she's getting out of all of this.

"I know her! I know her family!" The boy argues. I feel a pang of sorrow for him, and wish I could help. The idea rolls around in my head that I could pop up and deliver an arrow into Clove's neck. Surely, if I talked it over with Gale, he could take Marvel while I finish her off. But, this third guy is still a variable. If he gets spooked, there's no telling what he will do.

I'm itching to try out this new bow though…

Again, it's too risky, and so Gale and I remain passive once more. Luckily, if Umbra was watching, he'd appreciate it. Which makes me wonder, where is he? If ever there was a time he was needed, it was right now.

"Your point?" Marvel pokes the boy with the spear, "It's not a question, do it or we kill you."

The boy looks completely distressed, searching all around for help that isn't there. Finally, his eyes rest on the unconscious girl. It's the best time to do it, she won't feel a thing if he does it correctly. I can only hope I have the good fortune of dying while I'm sleeping.

He takes a step towards her and mouths 'sorry', before raising his sword and staring her down.

But just before he can swing, the girl stirs. She moves her left arm, and her eyes flutter open. She must've warmed up from the fire after all, just in time too…unfortunately.

"Darrow?" the girl mumbles, shielding her eyes to get a better view. He kneels down beside her, moving the sword away and grabbing her hand.

"Raechill…are you alright?" Darrow asks. Clove and Marvel smirk at each other like this is some big joke. Every moment Darrow stalls and hesitates to end it makes the deed worse and worse. It's like hunting, you can't feel anything for the animals or you won't be successful. Save your apologies for after the kill.

"Am I dead?" she asks. Darrow tries to keep her down, but she sits up and stares straight back into the eyes of the careers. Clove waves and giggles, twirling a knife around her index finger. I'd love to make her eat that knife…

"Just about!" Marvel howls. I can feel Gale tense up, and I put a hand on his shoulder as if to keep him down. It's like I can feel the hate flowing through his veins. There's a time and place for this fight, but not here and not now.

So desperately I wish I could intervene. I shouldn't have to though. I shouldn't be in an arena where I have to make decisions like this. I guarantee the people in the Capitol are watching right now…on the edge of their seats in anticipation. What will the District 12 pair do now? Will they save the hostages?

No…we aren't here to play hero. I'm not here to play your television starlet. I'm here to survive and go back home to my life of starving to death in District 12. I won't entertain a crowd…Prim would want me to help them, but she'd like me to come home a lot more.

But that hardly seems fair to the captives. They're in the same position I am, just a bit worse. There's no way we could save both of them, and if we did, we'd end up killing them ourselves later. I don't see a reason to tell Gale any of this, his response would be for the tributes to drop their weapons. Wouldn't that be something? If for once people could just drop their weapons and come to a peaceful agreement…

"No, I won't kill her," Darrow stands up tall, gripping the sword tightly and turning his knuckles white. For a second, Marvel seems genuinely afraid, but he quickly regains his 'tough-guy' performance with a laugh.

"What a waste of time you are…I swear Clove," Marvel readies his spear, "If you want something done right you've gotta' do it yourself!"

He lunges forward and pokes his spear for Darrow's head, but he ducks the attack and swings a cut into Marvel's leg. It isn't a very deep cut, just a slash, but enough that Marvel realizes he could potentially lose this fight. I almost shout out when Clove shoves Darrow away, but I don't have to because Marvel steps in.

"No! This is my kill!" He protests. Clove backs off angrily, and watches as the fight continues. Darrow brings his sword around for another slash, but Marvel is smart enough to judge his move. He's been training his whole life for these battles, an unfair advantage against a tribute from District 7.

Marvel uses his spear to block the swing, redirecting the momentum to throw Darrow off balance. Before he can pull the sword around again, Marvel has his spear driven clear through Darrow's chest. It juts out his back, spraying blood out across his friend.

"Darrow! No!" Raechill cries as he drops the sword and falls to his knees. She tries to reach for him, but Clove grabs her by the hair and pulls her away. Marvel keeps the spear stuck in, and kneels down in front of his captive.

"Now, tell me, was it worth it?" Marvel asks. The open wound in Darrow's back steams with warm air into the cold night sky. The blood pours down his back and he coughs repeatedly, gargling on his own blood.

"You think…you can win? You're dead…Cato's tougher 'en you!" Darrow spits blood into Marvel's face.

He wipes it away and bares his teeth, filled with anger. He yanks the spear out of Darrow's chest and lets him fall to the ground where he remains until the cannon sounds. There goes another tribute…so quickly and witnessed yet again by us. Gale and I always seem to be in the spotlight, or at least near it.

Clove pushes the girl onto her face and takes a step back. "Now, I get this one!"

The night is still young, but in a moment we'll be down two tributes. And they're both from the same District, which must be horrible for the people watching in 7.

Raechill tries to crawl away, but she is still weak from the cold. So she gives up, crawling over Darrow's body and covering her head. Her whole body trembles, no longer from the cold, but from fear.

She sobs into his chest, and waits for Clove to end her life.

Just as Clove readies a throwing knife, something spills out across the fire…and shadows are cast everywhere.

* * *

**A/N: To all the people who are reading, reviewing, subscribing, etc. I sincerely thank you! All of it is much appreciated, and I hope you all continue to enjoy this story as much as I enjoy writing it!**

**A/N: Most of this was written listening to: **YouTube - watch?v=E4fzGKtb_dE&feature=BFa&list=AL94UKMTqg-9C_uoRsa702N7E4lf-2QKrh

**Thanks for reading!**

**Chapter 8 coming soon!**

**Please take the time to Review/Comment/Subscribe/PM or Email me with questions or ideas!**

**If you like this, feel free to check out my other stories on FictionPress, or take a look at my FictionPress co-author account "Epic Legkicker", for more great reads!  
**

_**- Legkicker**_


	8. Chapter 8: Clash of the Titans

**Bows and Snares**

**By: Legkicker  
**

**Chapter 8:** Clash of the Titans**  
**

**Now** I've got a hold on Gale's arm, squeezing it so tightly my fingernails are digging in. It takes a second for my eyes to adjust to the lighting, or lack of. Even the full moon and clear sky overhead can't make it easy to see now that the fire is out.

Clove and Marvel glance at each other, standing side by side and looking around the meadow. Raechill keeps her head covered, but has quieted her sobbing. It's as if all the sounds of the forest have shut off, and the only thing heard is the soft breeze blowing the leaves and grass.

"What happened?" Marvel whispers. Clove doesn't answer, she just scowls and clutches her knives. I hadn't seen it either, just heard something splash across the fire and put it out. It happened so quickly, and I have no idea which way it came from.

Clove starts walking over towards Raechill, when a familiar, deep, breathless voice rises from the left.

"Lay a finger on her, and you won't get it back…" Umbra says. I search in the direction of his voice, but he's nowhere to be seen. Clove is paused, midway through reaching towards Raechill. She takes a step back, still scowling.

It started out with just Gale and me. Then came this girl with the bow, Raechill, so we decided to help her out. Then it got a bit trickier when Clove, Marvel, and Darrow arrived in the midst of things. Well, Darrow got taken out of the game by Marvel, but now Umbra came in to take his place.

So, Gale and I, sitting here in a complete state of neutrality, are watching as a second fight begins. And nobody even knows we're here…

"Is that some kind of lame threat?" Marvel calls out to the emptiness. He's playing on his tough-guy impression again, but it sounded like his voice was a bit shaky. No doubt Marvel is dangerous, but he is just as scared as the rest of us.

He whips around as Umbra's voice answers him, but this time from the opposite direction.

"It's a warning," he replies. His voice is so odd…the first time I heard him it was normal, just deep and slow. Now though, he talks as if he's breathing heavily through his words with a strong, deep voice. I must say, it's much more intimidating now than it was before.

The wind blows the leaves again, and I feel Gale slowly creep closer to me. I realize I'm still gripping his arm and I release him before I can draw blood. I wonder if he thinks we can just crawl away unnoticed. If it was just any average set of tributes, that may be possible, but not when you're dealing with this trio.

As Gale is coming my way, he accidently bumps the bundle of sticks I had set down earlier, rattling them and toppling the pile over. It isn't the loudest crash, but enough to catch everybody's attention.

Immediately, we both freeze, but it's too late. Clove and Marvel have both locked onto our positions, and Marvel has his spear raised up ready to throw. He launches it straight for Gale, and all I see is the silver shaft flash in the moonlight…before a dark object passes by in front of us and it disappears.

Clove whips one of her throwing knives, grazing my arm and slicing a small cut open. I slap a hand around it, suppressing a yelp. It takes a second for the pain to come, only after the shockwave passes that I'd just been cut.

So far, I've been relatively lucky in avoiding conflicts. The first one, after all, could also be my last.

Umbra's voice comes from right next to me this time, and it's filled with anger, "Throw another spear, make my day!"

Marvel quickly and carefully retrieves the sword from the fallen Darrow and returns to Clove's side. The spear was heading right for Gale, what happened? For just a split second, something intercepted it and passed by. Could it have been Umbra? If it was, he's even faster than I had imagined...

The cut on my arm leaks blood out between my fingers, dripping down my hand. It's warm in this cool temperature. It's not a deep wound, but enough that I'll need to wrap it up and close it off.

"Quit hiding! Who are you?" Clove shouts. I guess she can't see Gale and I. They must be more lethal than I thought; they narrowed down a sound and hit it.

I can't help but wonder what would've happened if we had just stayed in our oak tree. We wouldn't be sitting here in the middle of a battle between the deadliest tributes in the arena, I'm sure. Gale picked a real good time to feel helpful...

"Panem's savior," Umbra answers. A light flares up, and a torch is lit. The burning flame reveals the dark cloaked figure that is Umbra, but it's tossed away towards the old fire. The cooling embers burst back into flames and once again the area is enlightened.

Umbra stands defiantly in the burning glow, his black attire reflecting orange. His backpack is torn and tattered, and his jacket is no better. He's splattered with mud and dirt from head to toe and it looks as if he's been through all hell. The sparks fly up behind him, capturing his image. His back is to us, and he looks over his right shoulder at me, his face still concealed aside from the glint of his eyes.

"I suggest you run…now," he orders firmly. Clove and Marvel look down at us, shocked to see we were here. Clove and I lock eyes, and she mouths my name. She's had it out for me ever since I rode in on the chariot in my flaming suit. She's determined to extinguish the Girl on Fire.

Gale has my arm and he's pulling me onto my feet, "You can't take both of them!"

"I don't plan to, don't worry about me," Umbra says impatiently. He continues staring us down as we scramble up away from him. Gale hurries over and grabs Raechill, tugging her along. Clove, Marvel, and Umbra just stare each other down as we escape.

"Your fancy tricks won't save you from a knife," Clove says, her eyes still on mine. Perhaps she thinks I'm in an alliance with this Umbra character. And perhaps I am…but I just don't know it. Even Gale just tried to help him, telling him it wasn't worth the confrontation. This arena, and the tributes in it, can change in the blink of an eye, and you have to keep up with them.

Gale has to carry Raechill in order to get her moving, and he jogs past me, "Come on!"

But I can't, I'm too angry and confused to run. Here I am in front of Clove and Marvel, two of my biggest threats. I have a bow, better than the one I use back home, at my expense with a stash of arrows. Lastly, I have Umbra on my side, ready to fight. Why should I run?

"_Katniss, go!"_ Umbra booms. I flinch at his words, and they make my heart skip a beat.

For the first time I realize just how physically dangerous Umbra really is. His structure is like Gale, big and bold. Even the way he stands, feet planted firmly and fists clenched, gives away his power. I'm not sure who I'd rather encounter in battle, him or Cato.

I frown, but obey and follow after Gale and Raechill. We don't make it halfway across the field before the fight begins. There's no time to look back until we are all the way over to our oak tree, still just barely within earshot.

Possibly the most interesting fight this arena will see has just begun.

Clove dives right in for Umbra, stabbing him in the shoulder with a knife. Umbra ducks low, taking out her legs and flipping her over his back. Marvel is there to take her place while she recovers, swinging at Umbra's chest with the sword.

Umbra jumps back, contorting his body around the blade to dodge the attack. He yanks the knife out of his shoulder and delivers a roundhouse kick into Marvel's knee. It's enough to send him down into a kneeling position, and just as Umbra is about to stab him, Clove is back in the fight.

She lunges onto him again, this time tackling him to the ground. The fight ensues, hidden behind the high grass. I have to climb part way up the tree to get a better view.

Umbra looks like he's in trouble, struggling to maintain control of Clove's arms. And now Marvel is back up, running their way. Umbra uses all he has to hold Clove up away from his body, kicking his legs up under her stomach and launching her off.

Marvel brings the sword up into the air, coming down with brute force right for him. He rolls out of the way just in time, quickly getting back onto his feet. Marvel's sword is stuck into the ground, and he lets it go as Umbra comes his way.

He dips underneath the first punch Umbra swings, catching the next one and delivering his own punch into Umbra's face.

"He needs help Gale!" I call down to him.

He just watches the fight continue, still holding Raechill in his arms. She cries into her hands, ignoring the outside world. It takes everything I have not to run over to them and join in the battle. How can I just sit here and watch as Marvel lands hit after hit?

Clove jumps onto Umbra's back now, slamming a knife into his arm. But suddenly something turns in Umbra, and he shouts in anger. Clove has the knife back out, ready to deliver another stab, when Umbra braces himself and springs backwards.

The two of them land in the fire, with Clove pinned on the bottom. Instantly she begins screaming, rolling Umbra off and jumping up. She shrieks in pain as her clothing burns, running in circles before bolting off into the woods towards the river. It's a short run away, but hopefully it's just out of reach.

Marvel is in shock, but Umbra is in complete control. He's back on his feet, and fuming with anger and adrenaline. Marvel tries to land another punch on Umbra's ribs, but he deflects it. He comes in swinging low, with a bone-shattering hit into Marvel's left side.

Marvel cripples over, holding his stomach and trying to dodge the next fist coming his way. Umbra shouts out with every punch now, hitting Marvel in his ribs each time. Left, right, left-right-left-right…

Umbra takes Marvel by the shoulders kneeing him in the stomach and flipping him over onto the ground.

"What's in it for you!" Umbra shouts, snatching Marvel as he tries to crawl away. He rolls him over onto his back, grabbing his collar and bashing his face. _"What's in it for you!"_

Marvel coughs up, probably some broken teeth and about a cup of blood, "What are you talking about? Are you insane?"

Umbra slams Marvel's face again, "Why do you kill innocent tributes!"

"The same reason I kill you!" Marvel slams his hand into Umbra's stomach. At first I'm confused, but then I realize it was an attack. Marvel had something in his hand…one of Clove's throwing knives. He jammed it right up under Umbra's ribs.

Now stabbed three times, he takes the knife out slowly. Marvel doesn't move, he just watches. I look away as Umbra uses the knife to finish the job. The cannon booms almost instantly, signaling the fight is over.

Looking back, I watch Umbra stumble away from Marvel's bloody body.

"_Pax, iuvenes…dormire bene Marvel,"_ Umbra says. He can't control his feet, and he drags the left one behind him as he limps around in a circle. He looks up at the tree I cling to, right back into my eyes. He stops walking, stumbling, and holds his eyes on mine.

Before collapsing to the ground.

* * *

**A/N: To all the people who are reading, reviewing, subscribing, etc. I sincerely thank you! All of it is much appreciated, and I hope you all continue to enjoy this story as much as I enjoy writing it!**

**A/N: Most of this was written listening to (Hunger Games Soundtrack OST): **YouTube - watch?v=RFAUzAtSz0w&list=PL7E32C4A2DFE84544&index=5&feature=plpp_video

**Thanks for reading!**

**Chapter 9 coming soon!**

**Please take the time to Review/Comment/Subscribe/PM or Email me with questions or ideas!**

**If you like this, feel free to check out my other stories on FictionPress, or take a look at my FictionPress co-author account "Epic Legkicker", for more great reads!  
**

_**- Legkicker**_


	9. Chapter 9: Returning the Favor

**Bows and Snares**

**By: Legkicker  
**

**Chapter 9:** Returning the Favor**  
**

**Bodies** riddle the meadow around the dying fire. Only two are acclaimed by the cannon, while Umbra and Clove are left undecided. Among the confirmed kills are Marvel and Darrow. It's hard to believe we're down 2 careers, and with that I see I have a chance at making it through this arena.

Unfortunately, Umbra was the one responsible, and he's currently lying on the ground bleeding to death.

"Is Umbra still there?" Gale asks. I nod down to him from my vantage point, looking at the dying tribute in the meadow. He's has too much of an ego to stay down, and he continuously struggles to his feet. He doesn't make it very far, only limping a few steps before falling to his knees.

In the few times I've seen deer in the forest outside 12, the one I did shoot acted the same way. At first, it bolted, but then it just slowed down, began limping, and keeled over.

I slide down the tree, "I'm going to get him."

"Be careful Katniss, don't do anything to get yourself in a bad situation," Gale warns me. But even he must realize by now that Umbra isn't a threat to us. He saved Gale from a spear, and he let us escape from the grasp of the careers.

Still though, Clove could be coming back any minute. Hopefully, she's just lying face down in a ditch roasting in the flames, but I doubt you'd survive that long. She must've made it to the river, even that would leave her badly burned. If she did, the cold night air might just claim her life much like it tried to with Raechill.

When I reach Umbra, I'm taken aback by the scenery of the once peaceful meadow of daisies. Darrow is now pale and all the heat and energy has left his body. As for Marvel, he's fresh, and the knife in his heart still pumps out blood.

"I thought I told you…to run," Umbra says as I approach. Even on the ground he looks big, but very much wounded. Blood seeps out of the cuts on his arm, shoulder, and stomach. He holds a hand over the cut under his ribs, but the blood finds ways around it.

Without even thinking I strap my bow over my head and take his hand to help him up.

"You mean to tell me, you're not here to finish me off?" Umbra asks with a weak laugh. "I always thought you for an executioner."

I put his arm around my shoulder and we start slowly moving towards the fire. I don't know much about healing a person, but when a cut is that deep your best bet for fast medical attention is to cauterize it. There are a few hot coals left where the fire was, and they should be enough to burn the wound closed.

"You saved me more than once, and I think this will even us out," I answer shortly. I set him down in the grass beside the coals and he groans in pain. The first thing is to get a look at the cut, which means pulling up Umbra's shirt.

I reach for it but he snatches my hand.

"I'll do it," he growls.

Gale doesn't wait very long for me to return, so he comes over with Raechill still in his arms. She looks like she must've passed out again.

Umbra, the only one here with gloves on, places a knife in the fire. After a few minutes, he takes it back out and rolls on his side. He pulls up his shirt and a second later applies the heat. It's audible, and you can hear the blood sizzle and the skin burn. He groans and mutters curse words through the pain, but he doesn't scream or yell as I had anticipated. He sits in silence for about a minute afterwards.

"Alright, thanks for your help, I must be going now," Umbra rolls up and tosses the knife back into the pit. The quick medical attention is no help in getting him onto his feet again. He doesn't make it one step before he topples back onto his knees. Gale and I exchange glances.

"All that training and you never learned how to deal with pain?" I ask. Probably because he underestimated how dangerous Clove and Marvel were, especially when they're working together. Without that fire, I'm sure Clove would've finished him off.

He doesn't answer, but this time he accepts my help and willingly puts his arm around my shoulders. We begin walking back towards the oak tree. As soon as we're out of range of the two dead bodies, the hovercraft swoops in and picks them up.

I fear Umbra may have some serve internal bleeding, which could ultimately cause his demise. If that's the case, there's nothing we can do about it but hope it clots.

Everybody is quiet while we make our way back. When we reach the tree I set Umbra down at the base of the trunk and Gale drops Raechill off at his feet. We're deep into the night now, wasting hours of rest. The moonlight is fading, but not because it's leaving the sky, because the fighting is over and the Gamemakers are restoring order.

Gale stretches out after he sets her down, and I can assure his arms must be sore. He looks so fatigued, as if he's been up for two or three days straight. Probably because that could very much be true. I know I haven't slept much lately…

"I'll take first watch," I offer. Gale seems hesitant at first, looking back and forth between Umbra and me, but the tiredness overwhelms him and he agrees to take the rest.

"Wake me if you need me," he lies down in the high grass beside Raechill and goes out like a light. I'm left standing there in the cold night air, watching the horizon. I can't see very well with the limited lighting now, so I decide to start climbing up the tree.

Umbra stops me, "I'll let you know if somebodies coming."

So I reluctantly get down and sit across from him with my arms crossed. I don't care if he did save my life more than once, something about him just makes me so angry. Is it because he acts like he's better than all of this?

"I don't need your help, I never asked for it," I mumble. I try to stare him down, but I can barely locate his cloak in this lighting. He literally does blend in like a shadow, and if I didn't already know he was there I never would.

"Yes, and out of some distorted sense of self-morality, you won't kill me?" Umbra replies. "Well let me tell you, you're not fooling anybody. You hid in the grass while Darrow was slaughtered, and you planned to watch them execute Raechill the same way."

Suddenly I don't feel so safe around Umbra, he's getting a bit hostile. He meant for his words to hurt, and they did. It's true, we were just sitting…I was just sitting there. At one point, it seemed like Gale was ready to jump up, but I held him back. I kept fighting myself to stay out of it, and now I wish I hadn't.

"It wasn't my fight," I look away off into the dark forest. I feel like jumping up and running as far as I can in that direction. Surely I have enough in me to make it to the barrier; at least there the Gamemakers will be the ones to kill me.

Umbra snorts, "It wasn't mine either, but I saved people. Because I know what it's like to be in that position."

Would Gale and I have died if Umbra wasn't there? I think we had a chance to out run them, or possibly even fight them. Raechill on the other hand was on her own. So I suppose Umbra did save somebody, but he must've also watched Darrow die.

"But you almost died, how smart is that?" I reply.

"Good! Better I die by a real fighter than an excuse for an archer. Do you actually believe the world revolves around you? Open your eyes, I'm starting to believe you volunteered for the fame. I work so hard to help people like you, and ask for nothing in return, but then you say I'm worthless?" he almost shouts.

His words hit me like a ton of bricks, making my heart drop along with my jaw. Is that what it looks like out here? I volunteered to save Prim, not to be showcased in front of the Capitol. But Umbra's right, I haven't done a single thing to show that…what if I died?

Even worse, he's right. He doesn't just help Gale and I, he helps everybody. Out of the times I've seen him, nobody thanks him. But he doesn't need thanks, he just needs the self-gratitude. But I basically just told him nobody wants him and nobody needs him…

I can't look at him, as I feel the tears start welling in my eyes.

He sighs a long, drawn out breath, "Don't listen to me Girl on Fire, I'm an agent of pain. What am I thinking sitting here? I don't mean to hurt you."

So he stands up, using the tree for support.

"Wait," I bite my lower lip, "Stay here."

He looks down at the ground, breathing deeply to himself but keeping his hold on the tree. I don't know why, but I need him here. Maybe it's because he keeps me thinking about stuff other than the games. I'm more interested in figuring out who he is.

"The Girl on Fire, not just a name, but an identity," he says out of nowhere, "Because you're not a pawn in these games, you're the reason the people in the Districts watch. A volunteer, but not to play, to survive. To show the Capitol it's not about who wins and who loses, it's about fighting to keep what is yours. What is so little but in the end it's the world to you."

It's the world to me…Prim is the world to me. He's right, that's why I'm here. Not to compete in the games, but to protect what I hold so preciously in my heart. Only he could understand that, while the rest of the world just believes I volunteered to save her. It was more than that, I'm here because not even the Capitol could touch Prim without my death.

He continues, now staring up at the sky, "Which is why I fight. Not because I want to win, but because I want you to win. Raechill, the captives at the cornucopia, and Gale and you deserve to go home. It's not my job to decide who makes it out of here, but to give you all an equal opportunity."

So that's Umbra's motive, to give everybody a fighting chance. The careers take that away from us, and as long as Umbra is alive, the fighting will be at a minimum. But if that's the case, he plans to die here…

"What about you?" I ask.

He looks back at the ground, and then his eyes catch mine. The dim moonlight still finds a way to reflect off his dark eyes, but I can see the glint is shimmering. Maybe I'm just tired, or seeing things, but I believe he may be on the brink of tears as well.

His voice is steady though, "What about me? There's nothing left to protect back home. Nothing they haven't already taken. I have no family, I have no friends, and I have no home."

Slowly, he sits back at the base of the tree, and I breathe a bit easier knowing he isn't leaving. Again I feel safe with him, because he doesn't seem to have reason to attack. And right now he seems too hurt and depressed to deal with any threats.

"No friends? Not even a special someone?" I ask quietly. It's more of a joke, because Caesar asked Gale the same question. Gale had said it was obvious, that he came her for me, but it was all for sponsors. Sponsors who have yet to send me anything…

Umbra chuckles, "Perhaps that's for another time."

For a while we just sit in silence, watching the moon roll across the sky. The breeze brings a calming and reassuring sound, even though it brings chills each time. At some point during the past hour or so, Gale and Raechill huddled close together. It warms my heart to see Gale being so open lately, something I'd never see back in District 12.

"Almost forgot," Umbra takes off his backpack and zips it open. He retrieves a dark sheet of some kind, zipping it all the way open to unmask a black sleeping bag. He spreads it out and lays it over top of Raechill and Gale. "That would've helped a while ago…why don't you get some sleep too?"

I've still got about an hour or so before my shift to sleep, but I am pretty tired. The sleeping bag Umbra just laid out looks rather comfortable too, especially with two bodies underneath it. I'm just about to lay down when I realize Umbra's not that easy. He'll just run away once I fall asleep.

"I'm not going anyway Katniss, I'll keep watch," he reassures me. And with that I slide in under the sleeping bag, immediately engulfed in the warmth below. The bag must reflect body heat, and it traps it in a warm blanket. Raechill is no longer cold, and I snuggle in between Gale and her.

"I apologize for my harsh words before, it's not like me to-"

"It's alright, but eventually you'll get to see how much of an excuse for an archer I really am," I say with a grin.

He laughs, "I do hope so."

And with that I'm taken in by the warm bodies and blanket on top of me, Gale's arm finding its way around my back, and the calm breeze drifting through the forest and rustling the leaves.

* * *

**A/N: To all the people who are reading, reviewing, subscribing, etc. I sincerely thank you! All of it is much appreciated, and I hope you all continue to enjoy this story as much as I enjoy writing it!**

**A/N: Most of this was written listening to (Hunger Games Soundtrack OST): **YouTube - watch?v=RFAUzAtSz0w&list=PL7E32C4A2DFE84544&index=5&feature=plpp_video

**Thanks for reading!**

**Chapter 10 coming soon!**

**Please take the time to Review/Comment/Subscribe/PM or Email me with questions or ideas!**

**If you like this, feel free to check out my other stories on FictionPress, or take a look at my FictionPress co-author account "Epic Legkicker", for more great reads!  
**

_**- Legkicker**_


	10. Chapter 10: Friendly Foes

**Bows and Snares**

**By: Legkicker  
**

**Chapter 10:** Friendly Foes**  
**

"_**Katniss**, go!" Umbra shouts. Not a second later, Clove's knife sinks into his neck and he drops to the ground accompanied by a cannon boom. I don't have time to react, just run. So I bolt away, quickly remembering Gale._

"_Gale!" I call his name, spinning in circles. The meadow is empty, the tall grass blowing in the wind. The cloudy skies swirl with dark clouds and the rain begins to fall. The tree line is tall and looming, engulfing the area like a fence. _

_A crash in the forest grabs my attention and I turn to see Gale running my way. He doesn't make it far though, as Marvel's spear flies through the air and rips through his chest._

_I scream and reach out to him as he falls, but it's no use. The cannon booms loudly and rattles in my ears. Clove and Marvel walk up to me with grins on their faces, followed by Glimmer and Cato. They all stand around me, ready to take me down. _

_Then something strange happens, a blonde haired boy rushes out of the woods and dives onto Cato. He holds him down and captures the attention of the remaining careers._

"_Get to the forest Katniss, run!" the blonde haired boy looks up at me, his face so recognizable._

* * *

**Hushed** whispers enter my dreams and I open my eyes to see nothing but utter darkness. The sleeping bag is still stretched over me, and Gale is no longer by my side. I peek my head out from under the warm covers, surprised to see it's still night, and still very cold.

"Kind of you to offer, but I believe I work better on my own," Umbra says with a quiet voice. Again, he changes his voice from the frightening, breathless one, to the calm and relaxed one. I guess it has to do with his intimidation factor. I'm glad to see he hasn't run off, but I'm more curious about whom he is talking to. The night is still rather silent, so he's not too difficult to hear.

"When was the last time you worked with other people? We could do this. There are only two careers left, one of which is burned," Gale's voice answers.

I perk up, how long have they been talking for? What is Gale trying to impose? Part of me feels like jumping out and joining in the conversation, but I decide that might ruin it. In fact, I realize they may already know I'm listening, so I just roll over and close my eyes.

Umbra coughs, "Alright, fair enough. But what is it you're plotting? An attempt at ambushing the cornucopia?"

While I was sleeping, Gale and Umbra were up conspiring. Here I was thinking Umbra wouldn't propose an attack. But I guess the cornucopia does hold some valuable items that would inevitably prolong our lives here. Actually, without the careers, we'd be in good shape to keep going.

But eventually one of the tributes would likely crack and kill us all to go home. That or the Gamemakers would step in and cut us down to one lone victor.

"I don't know, if we could lure them out, we could get them. Honestly, between you, me, and Katniss, we could take them," Gale suggests.

Leave it to Gale to spark up an alliance with somebody like Umbra, again surprising me. They're like brothers, both built the same and thinking the same. Which is probably why Umbra is taking all of this into consideration.

"I'm in no condition for combat. When I walk my ribs feel like they'll snap. I can't be of much use in an attack of this scale," Umbra says.

How bad could it be? We just need to isolate Cato away from Clove. Gale and I could easily handle him on our own, and the same with Clove. The problem really lies with the rest of the tributes and what we need to do with them.

"Then do what you do best, watch our backs," Gale insists.

But what happens after we finish off the Careers? We still have to get through the other tributes, and for some reason I highly doubt Umbra will let us attack them. If he's so smart, then how come his plan has no happy ending? Truthfully, the 'plan' he has is riddled with flaws.

"Alright, but for me to help you, answer me this. Why are you here? You claim it's for the girl, but is it really? Is it really love or even just a friendship? Or is this some attempt at fame?" Umbra asks.

What business does he have proposing that question? When I asked him about having a special someone, he just brushed it off. I'll definitely get on his case later, but at least his question has an easy answer.

"I care about her, and I couldn't see her coming in this arena without somebody…so yes, I love her," Gale answers.

I'm not sure if he could hear me gasp, but for safe measure I cover my mouth. Is Gale serious or is he just playing on the romance card again? He has to be, he's smart enough to realize that the cameras could be on him.

It's quiet for a few minutes, and I can see the sun must be rising up. The grey clouds overhead are turning lighter and lighter every minute.

"Well, love trapped in an arena of death. Sanity must ask Love why it chooses the worst scenarios, but in the end it is Hope that finds a way. Mr. Hawthorne, through the time I've spent in the company of you tributes of 12, I have learned to love you both. What a pair you two are, and I believe you two will live long and happy lives together," Umbra says joyfully.

There goes his logic again, pretending we have chance, in love or not, to go home together. Those sure are some comforting words coming from such a lethal tribute. And what does he mean he loves us both? To be honest, the word 'love' is beginning to make me sick.

Gale laughs, "Sure, we'll live long, happy lives. She might, but I don't think I'll be leaving this arena."

My heart sinks a little at his words. Gale still hasn't given me the option to talk him out of dying for me. I didn't volunteer to win, it was to save Prim. And he volunteered to help me… he just can't leave me like that. How could I ever go up to the Hawthorne family again knowing their son, and brother, died for me?

"While I admire your acceptance of your untimely demise, I also find it unnecessary. Trust me when I say, both of you will be taking the train home, not the hovercraft," Umbra says.

There's no reason to argue with him, he seems to set his mind to something and refrains from changing it. I can't figure out if he's really smart or just clueless. He's showed me some impressive tactics and skills, but even he can't send home two tributes.

"Which one are you taking?" Gale asks.

The question lingers, mulled over by the sweet and silent breeze. The birds and forest critters are beginning to awake from their slumber. Even Raechill seems to be stirring while I wait for him to answer.

"Neither, but that's a topic for another time," he answers with a sigh.

* * *

**Eventually** I decide to pretend I wake up, crawling out of the warmth and into the brisk morning. The truth is, they stopped talking a while ago, but their conversation lingered in my mind all morning. They want to attack the careers, Gale wants to help me win the games, Umbra wants us both to win, I want them to both stop plotting together.

"Good morning, Ms. Everdeen," Umbra greets me. He's no longer sitting down by the base of the tree, but instead he's perched up on a branch like when we first encountered each other. He must be feeling a bit better if he can go up there…but how? A stab wound doesn't heal overnight. He must've spent hours trying to crawl his way up.

I zip up my jacket and throw the hood on. It does little to alleviate the temperature, but blocks the stinging winds. I'm hoping the Gamemakers turn up the heat once the clouds break, but for some reason I get the feeling they're enjoying this.

"Wake up Raechill, you two can go gather up some food while Umbra and I take a walk to the river and refill our water," Gale says.

Something about that seems a bit suspicious, "It takes both of you to walk to the river?" Even more strange is that nobody is offering me some 'protection'. I'm not complaining.

They exchange glances, "Well, Clove could still be lingering down there…we need to walk up the river and check the cave. Umbra thinks she crawled up there. We could switch partners if you want?"

I don't feel like spending the morning with Umbra, but I also don't want him running away with Raechill. Then Gale and I would be in the same position we were before he arrived. Gale knows as well as I do that one of us needs to be with Umbra at all times.

There's no point in trying to talk them out of it, so I gently wake up Raechill. Somebody must've grabbed the clothing she was drying by the fire; they sit in a pile beside her. Her skin is still a pale color, and she seems scared to see us all looking down at her.

"Good morning Raechill, do you recall anything from last night?" Umbra says to her.

She stares around at all of us, probably wondering why we decided to save her life. If it shocked me that we spared her then it must be shocking her tenfold. Her eyes keep landing back on Gale for some reason, and he notices it too.

She just nods but doesn't elaborate.

"Are you fit to take a walk?" he asks with a more soothing voice. She seems hesitant to leave the sleeping bag, but eventually I coax her out by holding the clothes out to her. Slipping on the jacket, she bundles up and stands up to stretch.

We eat breakfast, a squirrel and an assortment of berries, and drain the last of our water supply. Gale explains today's plans for gathering up resources and making a more permanent shelter.

"Half an hour, we meet right back here. If a cannon sounds, get back here. Got that?" Gale asks. I nod, and he pulls me in for a hug. It's a warm, but brief, embrace. It brings the conversation back to my mind again…

I'm still not a fan of the splitting up idea, but for some reason I breathe a bit easier knowing Umbra approves. Although I'm starting to dislike him more and more, I must say he's a good person to get an opinion from.

"Don't kill innocents…" Umbra warns. He drops down from the tree, clutching his side and slowly standing back up on his feet. I guess he was lucky and the bleeding stopped. How unfortunate…

We don't go far away from the oak tree, staying within the strict boundaries Gale had set. For about ten minutes, Raechill and I don't speak a word. But I've got so many questions flying around in my head that I have to start asking them.

"Did you meet Umbra before?" I blurt out.

I look around the area, remembering to keep quiet. I thought I'd have trouble walking around with her, but Raechill is actually relatively silent in her footsteps. She's like a ghost, pale and mute. My question startles her and she searches her mind.

"Uh…yeah. He dressed a wound on my leg the first day," she says.

Ripping berries off a bush, I feel like smashing them in his face. How come Gale and I, experienced hunters, were struggling out here before we met this guy? What good is he to us? Sure, he may be survival smart, but Gale and I could crush him…we don't need his help.

"Are you good with a bow?" I change the subject. Being from 7, I'd expect her to be like Johanna Mason, skilled with an axe. But with available access to the forest for chopping trees, I wouldn't be surprised if she hunted like I did. Maybe they have different laws down there, or perhaps the Peacekeepers allow it.

She lets out a weak laugh and picks some more berries, "Not really, I...just wanted it."

So did I, and she's not getting it back. She was the one that snatched it in the cornucopia, almost costing me my life as I watched her run away. But I guess she might have saved me in a way, because I may have run after it had it not been in her grasp.

"Mind if I borrow it?" I ask with a hint of edge in my voice. I can feel a headache stirring, and I press two fingers to my temple until the wave of pain passes.

"I wish Darrow would have helped me like Gale helps you, were you friends back in your District? He did volunteer for you, didn't he?" she asks suddenly.

What an understatement, Gale and I are more than friends, we're family. The question brings back the memories of the forest, the sweet smell of a squirrel roasting on the fire, Gale and I laughing as the sun sets. Days and days of peace, just maintaining a simple life… All of that, and the dreams of living our lives that way, seem to be over.

"Yeah, we were pretty close. Still are, but the games have-" I'm about to say it hurt us, but I know that the Capitol would love to hear that, so I change my mind, "brought us closer. It was the final push, what we needed to take our relationship a step further."

About a second later, a beeping sound rings out from overhead. Confused, we both look up into the canopy to watch as a silver parachute flutters from the sky and lands at my feet.

* * *

**A/N: To all the people who are reading, reviewing, subscribing, etc. I sincerely thank you! All of it is much appreciated, and I hope you all continue to enjoy this story as much as I enjoy writing it!**

**A/N: Most of this was written listening to (Hunger Games Soundtrack OST): **YouTube - watch?v=RFAUzAtSz0w&list=PL7E32C4A2DFE84544&index=5&feature=plpp_video

**Thanks for reading!**

**Chapter 11 coming soon!**

**Please take the time to Review/Comment/Subscribe/PM or Email me with questions or ideas!**

**If you like this, feel free to check out my other stories on FictionPress, or take a look at my FictionPress co-author account "Epic Legkicker", for more great reads!  
**

_**- Legkicker**_


	11. Chapter 11: Lost Love

**Bows and Snares**

**By: Legkicker  
**

**Chapter 11:** Lost Love**  
**

**It's** the first one I've seen since we entered into this arena, and I assume it's mine due to its landing spot. Raechill and I just stare at it for a second, wondering whether or not it's really there. I'm guessing she never received one either.

I scoop up the parachute, taking off a small note attached.

_Ratings are down, show some affection. – H._

Rolling my eyes, I toss away the note and pop open the silver compartment. Digging around inside, I locate three pairs of gloves. The first two of the pairs are a sleek silver, skin tight, and felt lined inside. They're different sizes, one small enough for my hands, the other probably for Gale.

A last pair inside is a bit more luxurious, a pair of mittens with fur lining. I guess Haymitch approves of us making allies…and me showing 'affection'.

I'm a bit surprised we have sponsors, considering we've done literally nothing to entertain the crowds. Maybe it was helping the girl…or our plan of assaulting the cornucopia?

When I see Raechill tuck her ice-cold hands under her arms, I immediately toss her up the fluffy pair. She takes them happily.

"Wow, thanks Katniss!" she squeals. I'm happy to see she's coming around, and I give her a small smile. I've been a bit frustrated all morning. Is it because Gale is conspiring with Umbra instead of me? I thought we were the partners…there goes my mood again.

I slip on the pair of gloves fit for my hands, and instantly feel the warmth they provide. I mouth 'thank-you' up at the sky.

The gloves are designed to keep your hands warm, while allowing you the full use of your fingers. Probably because I'll need to pull back a bow string, and in this weather, that's almost impossible.

Stuffing away Gale's gloves in my pocket, I take out a knife and cut off the parachute. It's a light fabric, but anything is better than nothing. We stash our berries in the parachute compartment and carry it around with us from bush to bush until it's full. Before we know it, time starts passing by fast. I figure we've got about ten minutes left, but Gale would probably appreciate an early return.

"Alright, let's head back-" I'm closing up the parachute when Raechill stops in her tracks. I bump into her and look up surprised.

"Katniss, what happens at the end?" she asks. "What's the point of an alliance?

I'm a bit surprised by the question, and just as confused. If she means the end of the games, I have no answer. Alliances are common in the arena, but usually they fall apart or members get killed off. The problem here is, the one we're in is too big. We've got as many tributes as the careers did.

"According to Umbra, nothing. We do nothing. Let the Gamemakers kill us off," I say, but Raechill still seems skeptical. As well she should be, because I am too. My real thought on the situation is that Umbra just rounds us all up and executes us. He'd look like a genius, and the Capitol would love it. He'd be famous…but is Umbra that cruel?

My fear for Gale is steadily rising; I should've gone with Umbra instead.

"Do you believe him?" she says. We continue walking.

I sigh, "Do I have a choice?"

And then it starts, a snowflake flutters down in front of me. Just one, then another, and another, until there's too many to count. I look up at the sky, the light grey cloud covering is still hanging overhead, and it doesn't seem to be moving either.

"At least we have gloves," I mutter sharply.

We come back through the forest up to the edge of the meadow by the oak tree. Upon arrival we discover that Gale and Umbra have not yet returned. I take the parachute compartment and stuff it up underneath a protruding root to keep it from being covered by snow.

With no sign of the others on the horizon, Raechill and I decide to get to work on making a shelter. To start, we gather up a bunch of branches about seven-to-eight feet in length and stand them up into a tent formation. It's frustrating work, trying to keep them from falling, especially in the snow. Eventually though, we get to wrapping them together with vine at the top. It's a flimsy construction, but good enough to withstand the snowy winds.

Shaking off the white fluff from some leaves, we make the ground inside a bit more comfortable. Actually, we make it even cozier by adding in several more layers and setting out spots for everybody. That's when I remembered the sleeping bag. It's covered in snow, so I shake it off and let it dry hanging in the tree. It doesn't take too long, and we spread that out inside as well.

Finally, the tent is done. It's just long enough to accompany four people comfortably, and I must say I'm impressed with it.

Snow now covers the ground with a thin blanket, still growing thicker as the time passes. I figure we'll need a fire tonight, so I set out a ring of rocks and cover it with more leaves. Then we make a stash of small sticks and a few larger branches. Since I'm out of work, I decide to string together a few more sticks to make a cooking split for the fire.

The snow provides easy tracking of the animals, as long as the tracks don't get covered too fast. I follow a pair of tiny footprints down to a rabbit a few yards into the meadow, shoot it, skin it, set it on the split, and roast it.

By the time we're finished, it looks like a small camp site set up. A long, stick-made tent covered by snow but dry inside, a nice sized fire pit with food cooking, a stack of fire wood and kindling…

But Gale and Umbra still aren't back! Gale said 30 minutes and it's been hours! I can't help but start to panic, passing back and forth around the campsite. This wasn't supposed to happen, they were supposed to be here! Every time Gale and I split up something like this happens!

"This is ridiculous! It's been hours!" I shout, popping my head into the tent. Raechill is sitting in the back, rubbing her new gloves on her face. She smiles happily, enjoying the warm place we have set up amongst the freezing climate.

She looks up and sees me, "Oh, sorry, yeah…it has been awhile hasn't it?"

Raechill is just happy to finally be warm again, and I can't blame her. I would be enjoying our new set-up too if we had the other two tributes to share it with. I mean, we made that tent big enough for four people, not two…or one for right now.

"Should we go look for them?" I ask. I cover my eyes from the blinding snow, staring out across the meadow. I can't even see to the middle, where we found Raechill, let alone the other side. There's no way I could find them.

The sun must be going down, although hidden by the clouds, I can see the sky growing darker by the minute.

Stupid Gale and Umbra, the Gamemakers probably listened in all night, waiting until now to split us up. We're smarter than that, we know not to split up. If there was no Umbra in this alliance we'd be just fine, enjoying the stash of food and warmth.

This blizzard will make it too difficult for them to trek back here now. The Gamemakers actually love this, since I could've gone with Umbra and instead they got rid of both him and Gale.

Not that Raechill and I are left defenseless, I'm sure we could handle just about any tribute aside from the careers…and that Thresh guy. He was big too, if not bigger than Cato. Hopefully, since Rue liked me, he may be passive.

"They probably just got lost in the blizzard…" Raechill pops her head outside. The snow collects in a small pile on her head, dotting her brown-hair with white. She shakes it off and sneaks back inside when I'm not looking.

Gale doesn't get lost, and I'm sure Umbra knows this arena like the back of his hand. Aside from that, all they really have to do is follow the river back down here.

I pace back and forth, the snow melting on my face and stinging. Half of me, the desperate half, wants to go searching for them, but the other half, the smarter one, tells me it's a bad idea. I'd be searching for a needle in a haystack, and if they're hiding out somewhere, I'd be risking my own life. Plus, I don't think Raechill would follow me too willingly.

"Katniss, you'll freeze out there. Come in here," Raechill calls.

She's right, all I'm doing is soaking my clothes and fuming. I'm surprised the snow doesn't steam when it hits my body.

I brush and knock off as much as I can before slipping inside. It is cozy, dark from the snow and leaf layers covering the stick walls. It's a good thing though, considering the wind won't blow through the holes.

The weight of the snow doesn't seem to affect the sticks too much like I worried, and luckily it's just starting to slide down the sides.

"Do you want to wear my gloves for a minute?" she offers them to me. I stare at them in her hands, and I wish I could be more worried about warm fingers than the possible demise of the other two allies in our group.

"That's alright, you keep them," I say, looking away and rolling my eyes. I keep tapping my feet and hands, staring out the doorway and waiting for somebody to come by. The only good thing coming out of this snowstorm is that it will pin down the other tributes as well.

"I made this for you, it's a bracelet," Raechill says. I look back at her, a bit impressed when I see what's in her hands. She took a piece of dry-vine and threaded it through a small acorn, tied it around a pebble, and threaded it through another small nut. She stretches it out and I hold out my right hand to her. She ties it on snug and smiles.

"Thanks, I like it," I say. It's the honest truth, I do like the thing for some odd reason. Maybe it's because I never get things for free, aside from the pin Madge gave me.

"It's a friendship bracelet. While you wear it, we're in an alliance together!" she shows me her wrist, revealing a similar one. Then she begins making a third, "I have to make one for Gale and Umbra."

So I keep quiet and watch her work. It gives me a glimpse into her life. Perhaps this is how she made friends back in her District, and maybe they're wearing similar bracelets. I feel a pang of sorrow strike my heart and I can't put my finger on why.

"_What's in it for you? Why do you kill innocent tributes!"_…_"Don't kill innocents..."_

That's why, because although we're not on good terms, he's still right. I've always looked at the tributes as 'just' tributes. But really, they're more than that. Every one of them has a backstory, and they all have something to fight for. I'm always so focused on myself that I never take a minute to think about anyone around me.

Even the careers have things going on back home. Maybe it isn't as severe, but they want to go home just as bad. Raechill is making the best of her last days, concentrating on what really matters…friendship.

Why should we waste our time worrying about death? Raechill…the one I wanted to kill when I had the chance.

"_Follow the sun to the bending grass, between the mountains and through the pass…A songbird sings his tune so sweet, listens the traveler with weary feet."_ she sings softly, twisting the vine and tying on the pebble. She stops and looks up for a minute, and then continues working, "Katniss, when I die, can you sing that to me? Just that verse. I'll sing it for you too if I need to. I just need help to picture it…it sounds so pretty."

Follow the sun, I suppose that's like walking towards the sunset. And it sets between the mountains and through the pass. Birds whistle as you walk, and you're tired. So you want to go to the sun, because there you will find peace.

"Of course," I whisper. Maybe death isn't so bad, maybe we'll just end up where that song says. Perhaps the valley song I sing and that song have some similarities. If that's the case, I'd be just fine with death. Take me to the meadow…where Gale and I belong.

Raechill yawns and rubs her eyes, finishing another bracelet, "Each one, made with love."

I smile at her, but before I can speak the anthem is heard. We both scurry out of the tent into the freezing weather, where the snow is now about two inches on the ground and still piling. The seal of Panem appears, but it's foggy and hard to see.

The first tribute to show is Darrow, followed by Marvel, and that's all for today. The seal returns and the anthem finishes. The sky turns dark again and it reminds me they aren't returning. But that means they aren't dead. I kept mulling over the idea that maybe I'd missed the cannons. So I breathe a bit easier…not much, but a little.

"They aren't coming back tonight," I whisper more to myself than Raechill, "Gale is out there…but not dead."

Raechill and I eat the entire rabbit and restock the fire, making a small shelf of sticks to hang over it and keep the snow off. It's just enough to light up the small area.

When it's constructed, we crawl back into the tent where Raechill and I hold each other as I silently cry myself to sleep.

* * *

**A/N: To all the people who are reading, reviewing, subscribing, etc. I sincerely thank you! All of it is much appreciated, and I hope you all continue to enjoy this story as much as I enjoy writing it!**

**A/N: Most of this was written listening to (Hunger Games Soundtrack OST): **YouTube - watch?v=RFAUzAtSz0w&list=PL7E32C4A2DFE84544&index=5&feature=plpp_video

**Thanks for reading!**

**Chapter 12 coming soon!**

**Please take the time to Review/Comment/Subscribe/PM or Email me with questions or ideas!**

**If you like this, feel free to check out my other stories on FictionPress, or take a look at my FictionPress co-author account "Epic Legkicker", for more great reads!  
**

_**- Legkicker**_


	12. Chapter 12: Masked Liar

**Bows and Snares**

**By: Legkicker  
**

**Chapter 12:** Masked Liar**  
**

**Slumber** comes and goes, and I continuously wake up during the night. The snow fall has slowed down now, but still hasn't completely stopped. It's probably around 1 in the morning, judging by the position of the hidden moon. It produces just enough glow to be seen through the cloud layer, and at times it disappears.

When I close my eyes, all I see are images of Gale. How could I let him go off with Umbra like that? What happened to them? If there was no cannon and no showing of their faces in the sky, then they must be alive somewhere…right?

Gale wouldn't just sit out all night in some random place, he knows how much I'd worry. How much I am worrying…

My mind begins reeling in all the possible thoughts. Now I can't even bring myself to try and sleep, so I roll up into a sitting position. Mistakenly, my movement stirs Raechill. She stretches and yawns, rubbing some of the sleep from her eyes.

"I'm just going to pee," I assure her.

She sits up next to me, "Well, me too."

It looks daunting outside, the snow has accumulated and covered the once lush meadow. How could it be possible to switch from the hot summer to this frigid winter? The technology at the expense of the Capitol is beyond comprehension, and surely they could share some with the Districts. Like that would ever happen…

I slip on my gloves, zip my jacket up to my chin, and we exit the tent. Our fire died out, leaving us with a few hot coals. I brush away the snow from the table over top of it and add a few sticks.

Raechill and I walk a few yards back into the forest and relieve ourselves. Every shadow and dark object in the surrounding woods keeps me on high alert.

Suddenly, Raechill gasps, "Katniss! Do you see that?"

She points a finger down to the ground beside us. A thin trail of dotted red-snow leads in the direction of our tent, accompanied by distorted footprints. Immediately, I ready an arrow on my bow, turning in a slow circle to survey the area. Raechill takes hold of a knife, clutching it in her hands and backing up close to me.

"Come on, let's get back in the tent…" I whisper. Walking over, I make sure to keep an eye on the trail. The snow falling tells me that it's recent, probably only a few minutes old, considering it would be covered otherwise. The owner of the blood is likely to be still in the area, and this camp is too noticeable for them to pass by.

The trail continues to our camp, where it makes a hard left and travels back into the woods.

Slowly we make our way over, and Raechill scrambles inside. I just stand out front, huddled by the fire and watching the woods. The snow makes it hard to see, and the limited light from the cloudy moon is no help either.

I figure whoever is running around us already knows I'm here, so I'm better off finding out for sure, "Gale, Umbra?" I call to the night.

My voice echoes into the forest, fading out to the howling winds. I'm glad to see my gloves are holding up nicely, keeping my hands warm enough to clutch the bowstring and hold the notch of the arrow.

After a few more minutes, I give up, losing the trail of blood to the snow fall. Climbing back into the tent, I can see Raechill has huddled in the back with the sleeping bag wrapped around her.

_Is it really a good idea to hide in here? _I ask myself. I can't really draw the bowstring in the limited space, but standing out in the snow waiting for nothing is no better.

"Katniss, come over here," Raechill whispers. Obeying, I crawl to the back. I'm just about to get under the covers when she squeals. "Something just ran past the door!"

Panic begins to rise in my heart as I look back out the doorway. There are no footprints to confirm the passing of another tribute, and no blood trail. I remove the knife from the sheath on my side, and hold it tightly while watching the entrance.

What could it be, a trick by the Gamemakers? Did they release some mutts? Or is it the careers coming to finish us off?

Then I see it, a shadow falls across the ground just out front. The light snow changes a shade darker, and it happens so quickly that Raechill fails to see it. I watch it closely though, as it just stands motionless.

My hands begin trembling and my palms start sweating as we watch. This is it, we're about to be fighting for our lives.

"Leave us alone!" Raechill shouts, and she grabs me in a lock-tight embrace. I try to slip out of her hold but she clutches me for dear life.

"Let go!" I cry. Pushing my way out, I find a way to break loose of her hold and we stare at each other, "Was that really necessary?"

We look back at the door at the same moment, as a noise cracks and grabs our attention. Then we both scream at the darkness standing in our doorway.

Umbra!

The dark clothing, the glint in his eyes, his mysterious entrance! They finally came back!

"You scared me half to death! Damn you!" I shout, tossing a leaf at him. It flutters helplessly to the ground, and the relief washing over me suddenly stops. Umbra doesn't seem to be himself, he isn't even moving. He just stands there breathing heavily and clutching his side.

Then I notice his clothing, it's all torn up. Even the face-wrap he wears contains a tear. His hand is shaking, and his gloves look burned. I finally get a glimpse beneath his cloaked figure, but the mud, dirt, and blood still conceal his skin.

"Um-Umbra?" Raechill utters.

He doesn't reply, he just sits there, breathing audibly and blinking at times. He coughs and wipes his mouth, looking away back out at the outside world. His whole body is tense, like he's either about to fight or he already has. I hope for the latter.

"Katniss…" he finally whispers. He stares out at the forest, and my heartbeat rises to the breaking point, "Something happened. Come out here for a minute."

My heart sinks. So they weren't out hiding all day, they did encounter trouble. It was so stupid for them to go to the river! I knew we all should have gone together! I'm not sure who to blame, Gale or Umbra, but they're both going to hear it from me.

I crawl out of the tent as Umbra makes room for me to pass. Once I'm standing by the fire, I search around for Gale. He's nowhere in sight.

I glare back at Umbra, who leans against the oak tree. "Where's Gale?" I ask as calmly as I can.

For some reason, he can't maintain eye contact. He keeps searching around the woods, as if he's looking for Gale as well. I wait as patiently as I can, staring him down until he forces himself to look back up at me.

"He's at the cornucopia-"

"What!" I explode, "Wh-…cornucopia?"

Umbra tries motioning with his hands for me to settle down, "Alright, now I know, that tensions are high, but-"

I bolt straight for him, grabbing his shoulders and using all my strength to wrestle him down into the freezing snow. He struggles beneath me, but I'm too enraged and he's too injured to fight back. I sit on top of him, trying to get at his throat.

I've never punched anybody with all my strength before, but I put everything in my physical power into a fist that slams right into his face. It's enough to twist his head to the side and splatter the snow with some blood.

He raises his hands in defense and Raechill screams. She tries to tug me off of him, but it's no use. I've already completely lost it.

"You liar! What did you do to him! I know you're lying!" I hit him again and again. That's what Umbra did, he took Gale into the woods and left him to die! There never was an alliance, Umbra just wants all the kills for himself!

His hand lunges up, snatching my neck. He doesn't squeeze hard enough to choke me, but enough that I have to stop bashing his face. He gets his other hand under my left arm and flips me off of him. Now he's on top of me, and I flail around trying to grab his hands. He's so quick though, and he takes both of my wrists in his right hand.

I shield my face, ready to endure a beating. But it doesn't come.

With his free hand, he gently slaps both of my cheeks, "Calm down!"

For about another minute, I struggle beneath him while Raechill pleads for us to stop. Eventually though, my anger turns into complete hopelessness. I break down and give up, my body going limp as I begin to cry. I wish he would just kill me already.

Umbra sighs and releases my hands, getting off of me and yanking me up onto my feet. He brushes me off as I sob into my hands.

"We're going to get him back, I promise," he pulls me in and hugs me tightly. It's a reassuring hug, one that lets me know the world isn't over yet. It tells me Gale is still out there, and that Umbra didn't want for this to happen. For some reason, I want the hug, and I don't push Umbra away.

He holds my shoulders and steps back. "Okay? I promise, if it's the last thing I do."

He holds me for a few more minutes until I'm cried out. I feel so stupid, and I'm sure Haymitch is struggling to sell me now that I look so weak.

I wipe away the tears, "What happened?"

He walks me over and helps me crawl into the tent. Raechill is already in the back, sitting with the sleeping bag around her shoulders. She looks from Umbra to me constantly.

He stays outside and begins his story.

"We went to the river this morning, but we found a decent trail leading back up the river. It was presumed to be Clove's and we agreed to follow it a little ways. We didn't plan on going far, but once we caught sight of her, we gave chase," he stops to let it all sink in.

Gale, chasing after Clove? I don't understand why he would do something so rash. He must've done it because he knows how much Clove and I rival each other. She is the most dangerous threat to me right now, but why would he risk his life like that? It's stuff like this that makes me mad at him. I'm not allowed to leave a 100 yard radius, yet he can run away chasing tributes?

He continues, "Well, she saw us coming, and she bolted. She kept going and Gale kept going and I kept going and soon enough we were at the cornucopia. Cato was there, and Thresh, along with some of the remaining tributes. Clove wheeled around on us, and needless to say we were in a bad spot."

I can picture the trio running through the forest, so intent on killing each other. Thresh? Working with the careers? That's unexpected, especially considering that Clove was the one who killed Rue. Something about this story doesn't add up.

"We lost the fight, but they didn't kill us. Instead they captured us, kept us in the cornucopia while they tortured us. Thresh, he beat me pretty good. Clove had him convinced I was the one who killed Rue, and Gale was the one who killed Glimmer. It made the careers look like the good guys," he sighs. "Eventually, Gale told me to escape, and get back here and tell you guys what happened, at all costs. I told him there would be fallout from me leaving, that they'd torture him more, but he sent me anyway."

It's a lot of information to swallow. Not only is Gale held captive by the careers, all the remaining tributes think we're the ones out to kill everybody. Which is reversed considering we've been passive since we met Umbra. How could anybody side with the careers? It's too obvious that they're the ones out to kill, they always are.

Cato. He has yet to kill anybody that I know of. It must be him, making all these treaties. But what about the slave tributes? Thresh must just be using the careers for protection, knowing that the three of us are a dangerous group. Perhaps there are no slaves, and they're all just working alongside the careers for that same sense of security. Obviously, the careers treat them poorly, but they endure it for the safety they provide.

But Cato isn't the type to make alliances with other people, he was so aggressive in the Training Center that it would be almost impossible. Clove, she's so mischievous. No doubt she's playing the sympathy card, running up there and showing them how we burned her and killed Marvel.

So now the careers are back up to strength, recovering from two lost members. They have a few tributes at their expense, along with possibly the strongest one in the arena, Thresh. And my alliance is composed of an injured pacifist and emotional bracelet maker.

"I didn't mean to scare you by running around the forest, I was just trying to cover my tracks. I see it did not work so well," Umbra says. He puts a hand on my knee and I look up at him through foggy eyes. Gale is in the freezing cold, currently being pounded on by Cato, Thresh, and Clove. And it's not his fault, or Umbra's…it's mine. I should've gone this morning…

"They won't kill him, they know he's the best way to get you to chase them," he whispers, "But guess what they don't realize?"

I sniffle in reply.

His voice turns dark, "It's also the best way to get _me _to chase them."

**A/N: Check out the new book cover full-sized:** Type: postimage DOT org /image/4rlnl401p/

* * *

**A/N: To all the people who are reading, reviewing, subscribing, etc. I sincerely thank you! All of it is much appreciated, and I hope you all continue to enjoy this story as much as I enjoy writing it!**

**A/N: Most of this was written listening to (Hunger Games Soundtrack OST): **YouTube - watch?v=RFAUzAtSz0w&list=PL7E32C4A2DFE84544&index=5&feature=plpp_video

**Thanks for reading!**

**Chapter 13 coming soon!**

**Please take the time to Review/Comment/Subscribe/PM or Email me with questions or ideas!**

**If you like this, feel free to check out my other stories on FictionPress, or take a look at my FictionPress co-author account "Epic Legkicker", for more great reads!  
**

_**- Legkicker**_


	13. Chapter 13: From Woman to Warrior

**Bows and Snares**

**By: Legkicker  
**

**Chapter 13:** From Woman to Warrior**  
**

**Although** it took some time, Umbra eventually convinced me that we were better off waiting to propose a rescue mission. He's in a worse condition now than before, the weather is absurd, and I'm too shaken up to think straight. So we have to sit tight, but he promised me we'd go noontime tomorrow. I just hope Gale can hang on that long…

So I try to get some sleep, with no avail. Raechill seems to shut down pretty easily, like always. It's early morning, still dark, when I poke my head out and catch Umbra doing sit-ups and crunches. Carefully, I crawl out and try to avoid waking Raechill.

"What are you doing?" I ask quietly.

He finishes a set, looking at me for a moment before starting another, "I have to get my strength back."

The cold winds hit my body and I bundle up, crossing my arms tightly. Watching Umbra work-out, I begin to think of what happened before. I shouldn't have been so quick to blame him, all he ever does is help. I mean, he could still be lying, but I trust him enough now. When he hugged me, it felt like he meant it. Like he was apologizing and truly regretted everything that had happened.

"I'm sorry I…called you a liar and went after you," I say, letting my eyes fall to the ground.

He pauses mid sit-up and thinks for a minute, and then returns to his exercise. "No, I deserved to be hit. You trusted me and I let Gale slip away."

I've never met somebody as modest as he is, actually defending my actions. That's just the kind of guy he is though, always thinking about everybody else before himself. In some ways, I wish I could be more like him.

Walking out into the gentle snow fall, I crouch down beside him. He rolls up into a sitting position and looks at me. His torn face-wrap flaps around in the wind. He's got another layer underneath it, still concealing his face. What does he look like? Does he have a reason to cover up? I saw all the tributes before, and none of them were repulsive...

"Not yet you didn't, and it's me that deserves to be hit," I reply.

The fire is dying down, and it's becoming more difficult to see Umbra in his dark attire. Even amongst his opposite, the white snow, he seems to blend in. The snow clings to his jacket, and covers him in a small white blanket. It must be freezing, but he doesn't seem to give as much as a shiver.

"You deserve to be home, with Gale and Prim. Not in this place," he says. For a few minutes, we just sit there while the snow falls around us.

Finally, he says, "Katniss, I know you don't like me, and I don't blame you. I know that you don't trust me. But let me tell you, no matter what happens, I'll never harm you or Gale. Even if things turn for the worst…"

He reaches a hand up and brushes the snow from my hair, but quickly returns to his work, "And I'm going to see to it that you get what you deserve."

What I deserve…inside I feel like I don't deserve what I already have. So many people enter this arena alone, and I have a friend who basically threw his life away to help me. And what did I do for him? All I ever did for Gale was show him how to shoot a bow.

My attention turns back to Umbra and his sit-ups. It makes no sense to try and gain strength now, it's too late. I'm no doctor, but can crunches and sit-ups really cure a stab wound to the ribs? I don't think it would help too much, and for some reason I don't believe that's why he's doing it.

"What happened? Why are you trying to gain some more muscle?" I ask.

He flips over and stands up, no longer clutching his side when he does. He offers his hand down to me, helping me stand back up on my feet.

"Thresh, he's too strong. I won't lose again. It's not about gaining muscle, it's motivation. It allows me to see how much I have," he answers.

Even though Thresh is big, I can't see Umbra losing that fight. I mean, from what I've seen, Umbra is now the last person I'd want to encounter in the forest. Which is another reason why I'm glad he will be with me tomorrow.

I watch as he scales his way up the tree, quickly but a bit shakily. He rests himself up on a branch that hangs out over the campsite, kneeling on it with his jacket flapping in the wind.

"Are we going to get him back?" I whisper quietly.

Umbra's eyes turn my way, watching me from his perch. The fire below him sparkles and reflects in his eyes, and he gives me a nod. I can tell he's thinking, but unfortunately I can't tell what about, like I can with Gale.

He answers in his intimidating voice, "We'll get him, and we'll get even. Rest up, I'll stay watch."

Of course he will, when does he ever sleep?

"Thanks," I stare at him for a second longer before slipping back into the tent.

His voice travels down to me, "Don't thank me until you hold Gale in your arms."

* * *

**Morning** comes with the good news of the snowfall finally coming to a stop. The ground is still covered, but the sky is now a bright, clear blue. The sun is rising on the horizon, shining off the snow covered forest and trees.

It's a blinding sight, but a beautiful one. Raechill still sleeps inside the tent, and Umbra still sits perched up on the branch. He must have gone out after I fell asleep and gathered up some more meat. The fire is roasting a rabbit and a squirrel, the scent hitting my nose making my mouth water. He found the parachute compartment with the berries, and set it out to thaw.

"Good morning, Ms. Everdeen," he greets me, swinging down from the branch. He lands in a kneeling position, slowly getting to his feet as he always does. "Help yourself to a squirrel, you'll need the energy."

I don't protest, I just snatch the squirrel from the fire and take a bite. The meat is tender and juicy, just like back home. It's a little piece of heaven, and it manages to take me away from the arena for a moment.

With Raechill still sleeping, I decide to ask a question that was on my mind all night, "What about Raechill? She's not much of a fighter…"

"I noticed," he brushes some snow off his shoulders, "But she's quick…and therefore she'll create a diversion."

Picturing her run back into the tent after finding the blood trail, I guess he's got a good point. She did, however, clutch that knife, and perhaps she can defend herself just like anybody else. Regardless, she's better off just being a distraction.

"Tell me, what's the plan?" I ask, taking another bite of the squirrel.

Umbra sighs and crouches down. He picks up a stick from the ground and begins drawing a picture in the snow. It's hard to make out at first, but I soon recognize the cornucopia. He draws a circle around it, putting X's in certain spots.

"The cornucopia," he explains, "Gale's in the back of it. Easy enough? I wish, they've got guards, here, here, and here," he points to the X's, on all sides of the cornucopia. "This one here, on the left, is Clove. The one in the front, Cato, the one on the right, Thresh."

What an unbreakable wall that sounds like. It would be like trying to the cut through a brick-wall with a spoon. Umbra draws three circles on the outside of the perimeter, and then he connects the circles with the X's.

"Only one way in, so we'll need to draw them away. Guess who gets Clove?" Umbra looks at me.

Good, bring her on. I've been waiting just as long as she has to settle this dispute. If Clove thinks she can take me, she has another thing coming. Umbra's eyes smile as he notices me clench and unclench my fists.

"That leaves Thresh for me…and Raechill will try to draw the other tributes away," Umbra taps the stick in the snow. He connects the right circle to the front and right X's.

I raise my brow, "You trust Raechill to lure out Cato?"

"Not Cato, the other two or three tributes. Cato…he'll be the problem. But, he's my problem," Umbra stands up. I stare him down like he's insane. He barely managed to survive fighting Marvel and Clove, let alone Thresh and Cato! He really does plan on this being the last thing he does…

"That's just foolish, even you can't fight them both," I argue. Back when we were at full strength, with Gale, Umbra, Raechill, and me, I still thought it would be a close fight. What Umbra is implying here is a suicide mission.

He waves it off, "Forget about me. 'To be uncertain is uncomfortable, but to be certain is ridiculous,' as the old proverb says. But who's to say it's impossible? And who's to say it _is_ possible? "

What could he mean by that? Does that mean he believes he has even the slightest chance at winning that battle? I guess there's nothing I can do, we need Gale back, and without Cato distracted…it's impossible. So somebody has to step up to the plate. I should've known that person would be Umbra.

* * *

**Noon** arrives, and it's just about time to go. Umbra unzips his bag to reveal a small arsenal of blades and weapons. For somebody who doesn't like fighting, he sure has a lot of gear for it. He helps to get me stacked up, slipping knives in my boots, each pocket, hiding them in my jacket, up my sleeves, just about everywhere. He made it as comfortable as possible, but by the time I'm outfitted I weigh a bit more.

He does the same to Raechill, making sure we're both armed and ready for some combat. We pack up our stuff, bringing along all the food, weapons, clothing, and material that we have. Umbra leads us down to the river, a safe spot out of the way, and scoops up a handful of mud.

"Darkness, where you can't find it, create it," he says before dipping his fingers in the mud, "Are you alright with this?"

I nod, and allow him to use it to cover my face, neck, and just about anywhere skin is visible. My silver bow shines in the sunlight, and he takes time to cover that too, leaving the string and slots for the arrow uncovered. He then wipes away two lines under my eyes.

"Looks like you're ready to meet some careers," he says before moving on to Raechill. She's a little bit more hesitant than me, but eventually gives in and lets him cover her skin. Soon enough, we all look like Umbra, dark like a shadow. We don't blend in with the snow around us though.

"It's the high-contrast," Umbra explains, "If you pop up against something dark," he demonstrates, pressing up against a large tree trunk and disappearing, "you're invisible."

He walks over to me, staring at my jacket for a second. He flips back the collar and retrieves my Mockingjay pin, studying it in his hands. He glances up at me and laughs.

"Why hide who you are? Let them know," he pins it out onto the front of my jacket so that it's visible to everybody.

Raechill gasps, "Oh, almost forget!" she digs into her pocket and retrieves one of her 'alliance' bracelets. She quickly ties it around Umbra's wrist and stands back smiling. He just stares at it for a second, gently touching the acorn and feeling the vine.

"Thank you…" he looks up at her, and I swear the glint in his eyes twinkles like it did before, "I appreciate this more than you know."

He hugs her tightly and she smiles from ear to ear, looking at me and giving me a thumbs up. I can't help but to smile at the moment of happiness…it's a hard thing to find in here. When Umbra releases her, he rolls his neck and shoulders, cracks his knuckles and stretches out.

Then, in the darkest voice I've ever heard from him, he says, "Well, let's go hunting."

* * *

**A/N: To all the people who are reading, reviewing, subscribing, etc. I sincerely thank you! All of it is much appreciated, and I hope you all continue to enjoy this story as much as I enjoy writing it!**

**A/N: Most of this was written listening to (Hunger Games Soundtrack OST): **YouTube - watch?v=RFAUzAtSz0w&list=PL7E32C4A2DFE84544&index=5&feature=plpp_video

**A/N: ****Check out the new book cover full-sized:** Type: postimage DOT org /image/4rlnl401p/

**Thanks for reading!**

**Chapter 14 coming soon!**

**Please take the time to Review/Comment/Subscribe/PM or Email me with questions or ideas!**

**If you like this, feel free to check out my other stories on FictionPress, or take a look at my FictionPress co-author account "Epic Legkicker", for more great reads!  
**

_**- Legkicker**_


	14. Chapter 14: Keep Your Enemies Closer

**Bows and Snares**

**By: Legkicker  
**

**Chapter 14:** Keep Your Enemies Closer**  
**

**Fear**, anxious, nervous, worried, are all words to describe the feelings rushing through my mind as we walk up the river towards the cornucopia. Umbra leads, keeping his eyes on the horizon. Raechill hums to herself as we walk, but she seems jumpy. I keep my bow ready with an arrow notched. It's such a nice design for an arrow; a hollowed shaft and glass fletching. I wish I had them for my bow back home.

Digging around under my sleeve, I retrieve a knife. I can't picture myself stabbing anybody, but I bet I could when the time came. I put it away…Clove isn't the only one who can play with blades…

We pass by the waterfall, not even bothering to check inside. Instead we continue up the path and journey through the forest. The pond is no longer flooded, but instead it's frozen over and covered in snow. If I didn't already know it was there, I would just guess this was another meadow.

My mind is now a bit numb, basically the same way it's been since I volunteered. I don't know what I should be thinking about, Gale, the attack, Clove, Raechill, Umbra, death?

Eventually, I run out of time to ponder these thoughts as we reach the edge of the tree-line.

I peer around to see what's changed, and I'm not surprised to see it's all the same. The pile of stuff in the front, and the guards posted exactly where Umbra had said they were. He takes his time surveying the area.

"Something's missing…" he says. "The other tributes aren't here."

He's right, all I see is Clove and Cato from our position. Thresh must be on the other side, but the other tributes aren't sitting out front like they were before.

"They must've been impatient, couldn't wait for us any longer, so they sent the dogs on us," Umbra turns around to face us. He nods and puts his arm around Raechill, walking her a small ways off until they're both out of earshot. They talk for a long time, before he finally rubs her back and they return.

Immediately, Raechill embraces me, "Be careful Katniss, I don't want anybody getting hurt."

Aside from Prim, my father, and Gale, nobody has ever really showed me so much affection and friendship as her. It's such a simple expression of worry, but it hits my heart and I hug her back.

"Don't worry Raechill. Hey, before you know it, we'll all be sleeping in the tent tonight," I say, releasing her and smiling. She smiles too, and wipes a tear away. Umbra tells me to stay put and wait until he sets her into position. So I do, my mind reeling in thoughts. I actually do worry about Raechill, I'd hate to see something happen to her…I even worry for Umbra.

Finally he returns through the woods.

He grabs my shoulders firmly, "Alright Katniss, the anger you feel, the hate, the need for vengeance, control it," he says, "It'll blind you, and you need to focus. Combat is an art, always think one step ahead."

My palms start sweating as I stare back into his eyes. I can't explain how it happens, but when Umbra turns aggressive it's one of the scariest things I've ever witnessed. He just has a way about him and this fire inside that I could only wish to possess. From his voice turning dark, to his muscles tensing up, I just don't want to be on his bad side.

"No tributes are guarding, that means Raechill is the one going to get Gale out of the back and take him to the waterfall. Once she does that, she'll come find you. You just need to get Clove away from the cornucopia. Trust me, she'll chase you when she sees you," Umbra slides his hand up to the back of my head and leans our foreheads together, _"Deus, commodo vigilaret super nos hodie, nos offerret vestri tutela."_

He releases me and pats my cheek.

"What does that mean?" I ask.

"God, please watch over us this day, bring us your protection," Umbra says. "Katniss, once I engage, lure her out. And be careful, we're going to save Gale but that doesn't mean you should be harmed as a result."

He's about to walk away when I take a hold of his hand. Confused, he turns back to me, and my eyes fall to the ground. I know this may very well be the last time I talk to him, so I'm better off getting closure now or I'll forever hate myself.

My heart is my throat as I speak, "Umbra, I don't know how to thank you. Without you, we'd have been dead a long time ago," I have to stop and take in a shaky breath, "You're the one who should win the games, not us. Be careful, and good luck." I slowly release his hand.

He takes a step away, turning his back to me, but before he takes off, he looks over his shoulder.

"Be the one, to tell the story. Let Panem know, in the midst of evil, there's good, inside all of us. Never let the fire go out, Katniss, forever be that icon. Allow the Districts this sense of security, this hero, the one they look up to, always be the Girl on Fire," he bolts off into the forest ducking and weaving around trees and bushes before I can stop him.

I soon realize I have so many questions to ask him, and he just left me with a thousand more. What does he mean the Districts look up to me? There are some questions I'll have to figure out on my own, and some that will just linger for eternity.

* * *

**It's** a horrible feeling having to wait so long and knowing that any moment this whole place could go to hell. I just keep myself occupied by staring at Clove, she's barely out of range for my bow. Such a pity, I'd love to end her right now.

My mind gets around to thinking about home, and how much of a risk I'm putting myself in. Prim and my Mother are watching right now…both hoping that I make it out of this scruff alive. But I've got Umbra and Raechill with me, we can do this. This is my time, my turn to show the world what I can do. Mess with Gale and you get the Katniss.

I'm so caught up in my thoughts that I almost miss the initial battle. Umbra has already snuck up to the back of the cornucopia, perching himself on the top like he did before attacking Glimmer. None of the careers notice him, and he makes a slow descent to the base of the perch. I'd love to know how he gets up to there, and how he does it so stealthily.

The snow covered sides all dust off when he lands, kicking snow up into the air. Luckily, the wind carries it away. He crawls his way to the front, hanging right over Cato. Thresh is out of view, but I can tell Umbra is staring him down.

He's probably thinking of the best way to go about attacking, just like I am. How is Raechill going to make it into the cornucopia? If they see her running in they'll chase her down. I really hope this plan is fail-proof, but I also highly doubt it. It's one of those times where I just have to trust others instead of my gut.

Umbra quietly gets to his feet, removing a knife from his jacket. He creeps over until he's on the edge, and braces himself to jump. But, as he does, the wind picks up, and the snow from the lip of the cornucopia blows off…covering Cato.

My blood boils, the wind was definitely an act by the Gamemakers. They want a more interesting show than Umbra just jumping down and stabbing Cato dead. How fair is that? Umbra looks around frantically, still holding the knife.

I hold my breath as the battle begins…

Cato wheels around as Umbra leaps down, barely avoiding the attack. Umbra still manages to connect, crushing Cato into the snow and slashing at him with the blade. He quickly turns to the right, rolling off Cato and dodging Thresh's sword.

There's no time to watch though, as I have my job to do. Clove is already on alert, and she knows Umbra didn't come alone. She has me locked on as I pop out of the woods, my first arrow already in flight. She side-steps the shot, but not enough as the arrow slices her arm and splatters blood against the metal and snow behind her.

By the time my next arrow is loaded and ready to fire, she's already closed the 50 yard gap down to 25. She's too quick, and ducks the shot, letting it zip overhead and stick into the cornucopia. My adrenaline is rushing, coursing through my veins and accelerating my heart.

My job is to lure Clove away, so instead of being myself and just standing to fight, I bolt. Right before I do, I notice Raechill sprinting across the field into cornucopia. I'm relieved to see nobody seems to notice her approach, but the charging Clove recaptures my attention.

Turning my back to her, I bolt into the forest with her footsteps right on my heels. She might be fast, but I'm faster, and more agile. I duck beneath the low lying branches, hurdle the snow-covered fallen logs, and bolt across the thick forest floor. It's difficult to run fast through the snow, but the adrenaline makes up for that.

I have no idea where to go, where can I lose her? She'll chase me forever if I don't find a place to dump her off. Umbra told me to stay one step ahead, so I need to think…

There's the river, waterfall, pond, meadow…the pond! To her, it probably just looks like a snow covered meadow, and if I can get her to chase me across, she might break the ice! She'll either drown or die of hypothermia if I'm lucky.

It's risky though, considering I'll have to run across first to lure her over…and even then there's the chance she knows there's a pond-

Suddenly I'm falling.

I was running out of time, and with her trailing me I had to think fast. I hurdle over a fallen log, coming down awkwardly and tripping over an exposed root. I crash hard onto the ground, yelping as my ankle twists.

The fall took all the drive out of me, and I lay there groaning in pain. This is it, this is where I lose. I should've known it was just being prolonged, but for some reason I fooled myself into believing I could win.

I flip myself over in time to see her jump up onto the log and smile down at me. Her hand is glistening with blood, dripping down the long blade of a knife.

The arrow I shot must've cut a pretty good gash into her upper-arm. Blood runs all the way down it, dripping off her palms and fingers.

My game is over, all thanks to a protruding root hidden beneath the snow…how unlucky can I get?

Clove looks horrible, half her face is charred and burned, all blackened by the fire. Her clothing is melted, and her exposed skin is a nasty pink color.

"You know, it's been fun Katniss. I had fun, I don't know about you, but this is one of those," she looks up at the sky and sighs, smiling, "One of those happy endings!"

Clove has a messed up view on happiness, actually enjoying watching people slaughter each other. She's no better than the people of the Capitol. Why do I have to die by her hand? I don't, I can still fight her, Umbra made sure I was ready for this type of situation. I've got a stash of knives on me, and it might just get messy here.

"Thanks for killing off Glimmer and Marvel, all that leaves for me is Cato, Thresh, that stupid masked tribute, and your boyfriend. But they'll all kill each other," Clove slips her feet off the log and walks over to me. I try to kick away, but she grabs my chin and gets right in my face.

"How nice of you to volunteer for Prim, shhh! Listen…," she tilts her head, and then looks back at me with a grin, "I think I can hear her screaming!"

My body is rejuvenated with energy and I begin struggling beneath her. I get a hand free long enough to slap the grin off her face. She growls and swings the knife, slicing my fingers and gloves; the blood pours out and runs down my hand.

I make the mistake of grabbing the cut fingers with my other hand, making it easier for Clove to take control of them both.

"Time to let her hear you scream!" Clove puts the knife away, retrieving a much smaller one, "I bet you will!"

Well you're wrong Clove, and if I could get my hands free I'd choke you so hard you'd wish you could scream. My eyes follow the knife as she wiggles it back and forth, and she pulls it back ready for a slash.

But before she can swing in the cut, something slams into her and she is launched off of me. I scramble backwards, staring at the two bodies that lie tangled in a brawl. I notice the blonde hair first, and then I see the mud-covered face.

Raechill? What's she doing here? Could she have already taken Gale down to the waterfall?

"Katniss!" Raechill shouts, she turns back to look at me.

I scream as Clove's knife slices a gash in her neck.

* * *

**A/N: School has started! Updating will now be primarily on the weekends and only about once a week!  
**

**A/N: To all the people who are reading, reviewing, subscribing, etc. I sincerely thank you! All of it is much appreciated, and I hope you all continue to enjoy this story as much as I enjoy writing it!**

**A/N: Most of this was written listening to (Hunger Games Soundtrack OST): **YouTube - watch?v=RFAUzAtSz0w&list=PL7E32C4A2DFE84544&index=5&feature=plpp_video

**A/N: ****Check out the new book cover full-sized:** Type: postimage DOT org /image/4rlnl401p/

**Thanks for reading!**

**Chapter 15 coming soon! Est: 9/8/12**

**Please take the time to Review/Comment/Subscribe/PM or Email me with questions or ideas!**

**If you like this, feel free to check out my other stories on FictionPress, or take a look at my FictionPress co-author account "Epic Legkicker", for more great reads!  
**

_**- Legkicker**_


	15. Chapter 15: Kat Fight

**Bows and Snares**

**By: Legkicker  
**

**Chapter 15:** Kat Fight**  
**

"_**You** two will be fine on your own. There's no need for an alliance," Haymitch says to me. _

_But why then are the careers always teaming up?_

"_Because they don't care what happens in the end. If you make an alliance, it can be too hard to say goodbye. Trust me, I've been there."_

* * *

**Raechill** topples over in the snow, her blood staining the white blanket a bright red. Her eyes are glazed as she reaches a hand to me, the pale fingers straining to touch and feel. Her fluffy gloves are no longer providing her warmth, but instead they lie in the snow. I crawl my way to her, completely ignoring Clove while she recovers.

"Raechill," I say, taking her hand. It's soaked in blood, as she clutched her throat with it. The gash is deep, cut into her neck and forming a disturbing, red smile. She tries to talk, but all she can produce is a sickly gargle.

My heart drops, and the feeling I might start bawling comes on.

I glance at Clove, who just stands by, staring me down. Even she must have a bit of sympathy in her, watching somebody die is never an easy thing to do, whether you know them or not.

When my eyes turn back to my dying friend, I fight back the tears. I won't let her see me cry, not in her final moments. So I try to sooth her, brushing her hair and hushing her. Then it hits me, her song, she wants me to sing it.

Without another thought I begin, in a shaky and soft voice.

"_Follow the sun to the bending grass, between the mountains and through the pass," _I draw in a breath and turn away for a moment before continuing,_ "A songbird sings, his tune so sweet, listens the traveler with weary feet."_

There Raechill…you can rest now. I look all around the forest, isn't there anybody who can help? Could anybody fix this if there was? There's so much blood pouring out that I can't even fathom having so much in you.

Raechill's eyes roll back into her head and she takes a tight hold around my wrist, right over the alliance bracelet. Her grip slowly loosens, until her hand drops from mine and her gargling stops. And it's over…the cannon booms.

Nobody deserves to die like she just did...her especially. Why was she here? Why did she have to come to my rescue? Raechill might not be Umbra, but she's still a savior, and just as selfless.

Gently, I remove her bracelet, and pocket it slowly. I wish I had something to say, like Umbra always does.

"Your struggle is over Raechill, follow the sun," I whisper, closing her eyes with my fingers.

The wind blows across the forest, and her hair swirls around. It's as if her soul is leaving her body, happy and bright like her blonde locks. My time for mourning is not now, as Clove clears her throat audibly.

"Don't worry Katniss…you're about to be reunited," she growls.

Not yet.

Out of the corner of my eye I watch as the bloody knife, the same one that claimed Raechill's life, swings for my head. I duck under it, quickly getting to my feet and bolting for the pond.

I don't care what Umbra said about containing my anger, I put everything I have into my legs and propel myself through the snow. Clove at my back is like a wall of fire chasing me down, and I have to put it out with frozen water.

The anger does blind me in a way, accompanied by the twigs and branches smacking my face as I run by them.

But that doesn't last long, as the clearing holding the pond opens up.

This is it, my one chance to hold an advantage over Clove. Panem is probably holding their breath, wondering whether or not she'll fall for it. Hell, the Capitol citizens are so stupid they probably don't even realize what I'm doing…

I'm closing in; I can feel the ground beneath me change to the rocks around the outer lip of the water, when Clove launches herself onto my back. Her hands clamp down on my shoulders, and her legs wrap around my torso.

Together we shoot forward, the ground coming up so fast that my vision goes from the blinding white snow to complete darkness…as the ice shatters and the water engulfs me.

All the sounds of the forest, the wind blowing, footsteps chasing me, everything of the outside world, cut off in an instant. The colors, the white snow, trees, berry bushes, blue sky and sunshine, all gone to pitch black.

The warm blood coursing through me is switched off as I become submerged in the subzero water. Clove releases me, kicking off my back to get away. Now I open my eyes to see only a sliver of light, coming from the crater our bodies crashed through. Silver bubbles drift up towards the surface, and my body slowly rotates until I'm looking back at the ice layer above us. My hands drift in front of my face, and Clove thrashes around like a caged animal.

Panic sets in, and I remember my plan. I rocket myself towards the opening, exploding through the surface and gasping for air.

It was ironically warmer under the water, as the wind hits my body and my wet skin becomes a coating of ice in itself. I scramble for the edge, just as Clove emerges.

"You!" she shouts in anger. Before I can get up onto land, she grabs my jacket and yanks me back in. I watch as my escape, freedom, the forest, is all pulled away, my hands trying to grab onto it all.

Clove dunks my head under water.

I struggle beneath her, trying to free myself. It's useless, she has both hands on my head and is holding me down. Quickly, I work a knife free from my jacket and slam it as hard as I can into her arm. She releases me almost instantly, and I use the knife to drive into her stomach.

It's enough to occupy her while I resurface.

My eyes fly open as I emerge, watching as she swings a knife into my shoulder and cuts straight up.

The adrenaline and shock in my body ignores the pain, and I lunge for her face. I grab her head and use all my force to slam it off the rock shoreline. A gash splits open above her right eye, and I slam her down again and again.

Now her face is completely red, with blood pouring out everywhere imaginable. She rips my grasp from her head and works the small knife out of her pocket. It's only about an inch or two long, so I have a hard time getting my hands on it. Why they would provide such a small blade is horrific…it would take forever to kill somebody with it.

We both lock hands and clasp onto it, clawing and prying at each other's fingers and growling as we battle. I make the decision to use my head, slamming my forehead into hers. It catches her by surprise, just long enough for me to gain control of the blade.

As soon as she realizes she has lost the knife, she prepares to retaliate. I take the opportunity to jam the knife into her mouth. Her eyes open wide with surprise and her lips jam shut.

I bring around my right fist, bashing her in the face. The knife enclosed in her jaws slices around the inside of her mouth. She tries to scream, but not before I bash her again with my left hand. Blood pours from her gums, cheek, tongue, and lips.

Clove doesn't stop yet though, and she catches my next fist and spits the knife out. Her other hands encloses around my throat and she squeezes down until all I can manage is a squeak. My left hand clamps around her wrist, and I try to pry her hand away from my neck. It's no use.

"You…stabbed me?" she rips the knife out of her stomach. "Nobody stabs me!"

I feel the knife slip into my belly, sliding in slowly, the metal ripping through my skin and muscle. The serrated edge tears away more as she pulls it back out. Not even the adrenaline rush can conceal this pain…but I fight it as best as I can.

By now, we've been in the water so long that anything below our waists is numb. The rest of my body is freezing, regardless of the energy I feel. It looks grim for me, but I can't call myself out yet. I have one more trick up my sleeve, and it's not another knife…

"Umbra! I'm right here!" I reach my free hand towards the shoreline behind her. There's nothing there, but my acting sells it enough for Clove to quickly glance back. She's not stupid enough to fully fall for it, but the hesitation works just as well.

I bring my hand down on the crook of her elbow, crippling her arm and loosening her grip. Then I get a hold of her hand and use all my strength to push the knife deep into her chest. I can feel it as the blade tears through her layers of skin and muscle, colliding with bone.

My hands remain closed on the handle, over hers, and she spits up more and more blood. She manages to get a few words out, very distorted and watery.

"Katniss, you're gonna' burn!" she coughs and winces, "Umbra? Well, he's going to kill you, why else would he just hand us Gale? He's smart, I'll give him that."

What?

"Oh, you didn't know that? Oh yeah, it was a trade, give us Gale, bring us Katniss, we give him back the girl from his District," she grimaces as I twist the knife, scraping the bone inside.

Could what she's saying be true? How much do I really know about Umbra? Nothing. His real name isn't even Umbra, I would've heard it somewhere before, like in the interviews. But, he said he would never harm us…how much can I take his word for?

"Why would he do that? What District are they from?" I snarl.

Clove laughs madly, interrupted periodically by spurts of blood, "Y-you mean you don't even know what District he's from? Let me give you a hint, it's one below the little girl I killed, and one above the girl he killed!"

Her laugh echoes in my ears. The little girl, Rue. Umbra's from District 10, and he and the girl tribute from 10 are alive. The girl from 9? I can't recall how she died, and if at all possible Umbra could have been affiliated. But how would Clove know what his home District is? There's really only two left to pick from…

"You better hope that you die of hypothermia, because now that Umbra has her back," she licks her lips, "Gale and you are as good as dead!"

"No Clove, you are," I remove the knife and she gasps. Blood sprays out of the open wound, now about the size of my fist. Slowly, she slips down under the surface. I watch as her charred body blends into the dark water below.

My breath turns to mist before me, swirling up towards the blue sky. My vision is black around the edges, as the cold water slowly closing in around my body acts like a vice. My muscles are locking up, and my entire body trembles and shivers.

The water seeps through the slice in my glove, soaking the inside and turning my left hand into a block of ice. Everything starts to seem foggy as I reach the edge, slowly crawling my way onto the land. It's no warmer, just not as wet.

The snow beneath my body continues to freeze me as I lay there. The spot where we broke through the ice is a bloody mess, and the water is now a dark red color. My stomach feels as if it's been twisted into a knot, right around the stab wound. My shoulder is sliced so bad you could fit a coin in it.

The cannon booms, and the fight is officially over.

So Clove will be the one to end me, but I still got her. I assume Gale is safe, and that Umbra hasn't died yet either considering I haven't heard another cannon yet. But by this point, I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing. I was underwater for a little while there too, so a cannon may have gone off while I was submerged.

Blood seeps from my stab wounds, the shoulder cut leaking all the way down my arm, while the cut on my belly soaks all the way through my clothing.

Maybe Raechill and I will be reunited soon after all, and I embrace that thought happily. No more worrying, thinking, questioning…just the warm thought of following the sun through a meadow towards the mountains with Raechill at my side...

My vision is so foggy I can barely make out the dark figure who rushes over top of me. His words are muffled by the water in my ears, and my head continuously falls to the side.

"Stay with me Katniss, stay with me," Umbra wipes off my face, pushes my hair behind my ears, and rips open my jacket. He hurriedly takes it off and tosses it aside. I half-watch him as he goes to work, taking my mockingjay pin and tearing threads from his clothing.

My eyes keep fluttering opened and closed, and I'm about to pass out when he pats my cheek.

"Come on!" he takes a hold of my chin and forces me to look at him, "You have to stay awake, think about Gale! He's hurt bad and waiting at the waterfall..."

I give him a weak nod and wheeze, the mist is now a weak stream of breathless air. Then I remember what Clove was saying...why isn't Gale here? What did Umbra do? Gale should be the one coming to help me, not him...

"I have to stitch you up, you're losing a lot of blood," he explains, putting a stick in my mouth and taking a hold of my shoulder, "this is going to hurt."

What an understatement. I feel each time the pin pokes through my skin and the thread runs through it. The adrenaline is no longer there to alleviate the pain, and I bite down so hard that the stick nearly breaks in half.

"Jus' burn it…" I mumble.

Umbra ties off the stitch on my shoulder and goes to work on my stomach, "Cauterizing a wound isn't a good idea. It's a great way to induce infection, and never properly heals as fast. It's a quick way to kill yourself if you don't do it right…I just do it because I'm stubborn. I stitched up my cuts later once I knew we were safe."

I cough up a bucket of water, my vision slowly returning. He finishes my stitching and then does something I'd never expect from him.

He removes his jacket, revealing the part of him underneath the cloaked hood.

* * *

**IMPORTANT A/N:**

** I'm pleased to announce, I finished all remaining chapters (about 4 more). They're still in rough shape, and definitely require major tweaking, so they're still going to remain on schedule.  
But, I want to inform you all now that the next few chapters are a big part of the story. A lot is going to be revealed and a lot of information will be presented.  
**

**I hope you all find them as great as I do, but I can't change opinions.  
**

**Again, big thanks to my readers, followers, reviewers, you're all awesome.  
**

**Also, on a side note, I'm a big updater after the chapter has already been posted, so it may be worth reading twice.  
**

* * *

**A/N: Most of this was written listening to (Hunger Games Soundtrack OST): **YouTube - watch?v=RFAUzAtSz0w&list=PL7E32C4A2DFE84544&index=5&feature=plpp_video

**Thanks for reading!**

**To all the people who are reading, reviewing, subscribing, etc. I sincerely thank you! All of it is much appreciated, and I hope you all continue to enjoy this story as much as I enjoy writing it!**

* * *

**Chapter 16 coming soon! Est: (On or Before) 9/15/12**

* * *

**Please take the time to Review/Comment/Subscribe/PM or Email me with questions or ideas!**

_**- Legkicker**_


	16. Chapter 16: Revelations

**Bows and Snares**

**By: Legkicker  
**

**Chapter 16:** Revelations**  
**

**Rubbing** my eyes, I check twice to make sure what I'm witnessing is really happening. It's true, he really did remove his jacket, wrapping it around me and zipping it close. The warmth it provides is wonderful, but I'm too focused on him to really even notice it.

His skin, it's surprisingly tan for how much he wears the dark attire. He has scars from cuts and wounds along his arms, not in a grotesque manner but in a way that shows how many confrontations he's been in. They're also built up, with his muscles and shoulders clearly defined.

A black-shirt still conceals his chest, yet it's cut in places and stretched enough to show his wounds beneath. I noticed before how big he was, but now I'm even more shocked. The story about him handing Gale over seems even more believable with this revelation. I just can't see somebody this intimidating going out to 'help' people…

His face is still partially covered by the black face-wrap, but the rest of his head is exposed. His hair is a light-brown color, short and messy.

And his eyes…they're probably the scariest thing about him.

They're such an odd color, a dark scarlet…like the blood in the pond. They penetrate right through me, yet they don't seem as fierce as they do gentle.

"Not what you expected?" he asks, his mouth moving beneath the wrap.

Not at all what I expected, there's nothing hideous about him...if you can get over the eyes.

"Why did you leave Gale alone at the waterfall?" I ask with a cracking voice. Maybe it's from the cold, or perhaps from Clove choking me.

"He's not alone, Katniss, we have to go…now," he offers me a hand.

What does he mean he's not alone? I just stare at his hand, wondering if I should accept it. For Gale, I take it, my freezing fingers struggling to maintain a hold on his. He clutches down though, and pulls me up.

* * *

**Walking** into the cave, my legs almost give out from beneath me. Not from the pain still stinging my body, but from the sight inside.

Gale sits up against the wall, his face almost unrecognizable with cuts and bruises. He has no shirt on, and his chest, arms, and neck match his face. His left eye is black, and he doesn't even notice me enter.

I just stand in the front and cover my mouth, until I collapse to the ground.

"He's alright," Umbra assures me with a whisper.

He's alright? This is all Umbra's fault…if he wouldn't have shown up, if he would have just stayed away from Gale and me in the first place…Gale wouldn't have been hurt like this.

Shakily, I get to my feet and stumble over to him. I can see the stitches Umbra must've applied, but they're almost useless. He'd need a whole closet of clothing to stitch all the wounds. Along with the stitches is some sort of paste, a purplish mixture of herbs and berries, plastered all across his body.

"G-Gale," I stutter, dropping to my knees in front of him. Umbra walks out of the waterfall and leaves us alone.

He opens his eyes, and when he sees me, he perks up. I fall into his arms and he squeezes me as tight as he can muster.

I'm both cursing him out and telling him how much I worried for him. He just holds me so tight I can barely breathe, promising he'll never run off again.

It's the happiest and saddest moment I've had this entire time I've been in the arena. There's no other problems to worry about at the moment, and I just take the time to enjoy being in his arms.

We stay that way for quite some time, worrying over each other's wounds and taking turns hugging and kissing each other. Umbra returns, and suddenly I'm no longer happy…I'm infuriated.

"Katniss, I thought I'd never see you again," he whispers through my hair, "I'm so sorry!"

He's sorry? I'm the one who should be sorry, I was the one who let him go with Umbra. If it would have been me, neither of us would be in this position.

I can't fight it anymore, I let the tears start flowing. I cry quietly, but he can feel me trembling. Slowly he releases me, to hold me back and smile.

"I didn't expect this…when we got him out, I had just killed Thresh. Cato fled the scene, and Raechill went to find you immediately. She never returned, so Lucerna and I patched him up, and I found you myself," Umbra explains, kneeling down beside me. "I should've let Raechill help Lucerna and bring Gale back here, and gone to find you myself."

Lucerna? She must be another tribute under a faux alliance with Umbra…

Not only does Umbra have Gale beat half to death, he sends an innocent girl to her untimely demise. Why? Was it because he wanted to play hero and fight Cato and Thresh? For somebody who asks 'is it for fame?', he sure likes to look good in the spotlight.

"Katniss…" Gale whispers. I'm all ears, perking up and leaning closer to him. "I know it doesn't look like it, but I'm alright. I'm not dying."

I hush him, "It's okay Gale, everything is going to be fine...we're going to get you some medicine," my heart is beating so fast it's as if I'm still battling Clove.

Clove…was she lying or was she telling me the truth? Her word is about as good as Umbra's, and now I think I'm starting to believe her more and more. And here I am, sitting beside him while watching my best friend suffer. And he's just fine…barely a scratch on him.

How convenient….

My head slowly turns his way, and he does a double take. He knows damn well what I'm thinking right now, and there's nothing he can do. For once in probably his entire life, he's the one caught under an unbreakable gaze.

Slowly, I let my hands slide from Gale's hands down to the knife on my side. Umbra watches the whole time, but he doesn't even move. His scarlet eyes stare deep into my silver ones, and we're locked on.

He may be bigger than I am, and more experienced, but he's not as furious.

"You did this! If you wouldn't have been so stupid! If you wouldn't have left him in the cornucopia! If we would have never even met!" I shout. Gale tries to take my hand again and hush me, his fingers reaching out into the air trying to grab me.

So I prepare to lunge.

"Katniss, no!" Gale utters. I ignore him, there's no reason we need Umbra with us anymore.

I'm shocked he isn't reacting, and by the looks of it, he doesn't plan to. His eyes stick to mine, and I stare him down, breathing heavily and watching his hands.

I clutch my knife as I watch them move to his side, and I'm expecting him to pull out a weapon. But instead, he brings up the alliance bracelet on his wrist…and gingerly unties it.

"One more…one more should do it," he whispers. He pulls up his shirt to reveal his stomach, the previous wound still prominent. The one from Marvel that almost claimed his life…I wish it would have.

One more what? Stab? One more stab and Umbra is dead? He's giving me an open shot, showing me his bloody abs and waiting for the finishing cut. Why is he doing this? I want to fight him and kill him, not just execute him! He needs to suffer like we have!

"Katniss, wait!" Gale grabs my arm. I put my hand over his as he speaks, "don't kill him! If it weren't for him-"

I snap, "If it weren't for him? Raechill would be alive, and you and I would be fine!"

Gale…if he were in my position, I know for a fact he would slaughter Umbra. So why am I waiting to finish him?

"Gale…it's time," Umbra says quietly. "Panem's…Panem needs a hero," and now I can see the sincerity in Umbra's eyes, "I thought that…" he sighs, "well, I'm not the savior, I'm just a pawn in the games. I know what I did was wrong, I was so confused, but I know now."

He breathes shakily, "I'm not justifying myself by saying, it was…unintentional to harm you both," he looks at me, "_I'm so sorry_, Katniss. I should've gone alone to get Gale back. Raechill…I was never really a good friend, and I…" he looks up at the ceiling to fight the tears. His red eyes are no longer fierce, but they're hurt. He stares at the ground, as if he's trying to recall something.

Finally he concludes, his voice barely a whisper, "I let her die."

He clutches down on the bracelet and holds it to his cheek. "She just wanted to help…she just wanted to get Gale back…and the same with you. And when I saw you in the snow with all the blood," he's speaking so fast it's hard to follow, "I was worried you'd never see each other again, and I knew Raechill was dead."

My eyes fall to the ground and my grip loosens on the knife. What am I doing?

I can barely make out the words he's saying as he whispers to himself. "Because…I'm no better than the people that built this arena. I belong in it," he slowly looks up at me, "Don't worry, Lucerna won't hurt you."

He doesn't need to explain as a shadow passes by in front of the waterfall. Immediately, the knife is tight in my hand again and I'm backing up towards Gale. From now on, I'll protect him with my life.

My heart is racing as the figure steps in through the water, and I'm in awe. The tribute is dressed just like Umbra normally is, with a cloak and hood on, face concealed. But, the clothing is smeared with some odd substance, coloring the black clothing white. Every jacket in the arena is picked out by the Gamemakers, so this customization was self-made.

And…it's a girl. Her eyes aren't hidden in the dark, but instead they're lit up by the light clothing. She's slender, and a bit on the short side. Her blonde hair, almost matching Raechill's, is mostly hidden underneath the hood. A few stands flutter in the wind around her cheeks, and her blue eyes gaze around at everybody in the cave.

She keeps her eyes on mine as she glides over to Gale's side, kneeling down and taking his hand. I slap her hand away and ready my knife again. She jumps back confused, and Gale rubs my back.

"Katniss, would you cut it out?" he asks, realizing that was a poor choice of words, "I mean, stop being so aggressive?"

Umbra stares me down, "Are you going to do it or not?"

When I just stare blankly at his bare stomach, he yanks his shirt back down and storms off. The girl watches him exit, and sighs sadly.

"I've never seen him this angry before," she says, her voice so soft it could lull you to sleep. "He thinks he's failed, but he has time."

I watch as the girl's hands work lightly in applying more of the odd mixture onto Gale's wounds. It's an off purple color, and she must've just made it.

"Who are you?" I demand.

She doesn't even look at me, "Lucerna, from District 10. We never met, but Gale and I have. After he was captured, I turned myself over to the careers, as a slave…"

"She kept me alive," Gale interrupts. "If she wasn't there, Cato would've…"

Lucerna stops him from finishing the sentence, applying some of the paste to the perimeter of his left eye, which is almost completely black.

How come nobody told me about any of this? Why did Umbra decide to keep it all a secret from me?

"Katniss, Umbra is just trying to help, I was the one who chased Clove, and I was the one who told him to find you. I know you didn't know that, but now you do," Gale explains further.

Suddenly I feel extremely foolish…I was just about to stab Umbra to death. I blamed him for everything, when in reality, it's not his fault, or ours for that matter. The real people to blame here are the careers…and the Capitol.

I shift uncomfortably, "What about Raechill?"

Gale and Lucerna exchange glances.

"Umbra and Lucerna were the only ones who knew how to treat my wounds, Raechill offered to get you," Gale whispers, stroking my hair.

Oh God, and I accused him for killing her too! I can't imagine how bad that made him feel…that's like somebody telling me I killed Gale. I don't even want to think about that, but how can Umbra escape those thoughts?

I really need to stop judging him. Time and time again he proves to just be here to help us, and I always end up thinking he's out to kill us.

"But, Umbra never told me about Lucerna helping out," I press on.

Lucerna smiles, "Umbra didn't even know about that. I was actually supposed to be finding," she catches herself and changes the sentence, "Well, I decided to help out on my own. I got the other slave tributes away from the cornucopia before you carried out the assault."

That explains the confusion we had upon arrival. I do recall Umbra surveying that opening for quite some time, he truly had no idea she was the cause for the missing tributes.

"And why did he never mention you at all? I mean, it's obvious you two are close," I gesture to her attire.

She looks down at her jacket, "Truthfully, he's being overprotective. He thought that as long as the careers and nobody else knew about me, they wouldn't pursue me. Which is another reason he's so frustrated right now, I did the same thing Gale did when I turned myself into the careers…" her eyes turn back to Gale's and they both look hurt.

"_Do you actually believe the world revolves around you?" _Umbra's voice echoes in my head, from the night he had just saved Gale and I. Scenes from that fight flash in my head, the spear heading our way, and then it just vanishing.

He's right, I do believe everything is about me. I'm just as selfish as I am emotional. I see Gale hurt, and I find somebody to blame, when in reality, that somebody is the reason Gale is alive. And to top it off, that somebody's best friend even risked their life to help us out.

And all I do is blame, blame, blame that somebody.

That somebody is Umbra, and he's one of the greatest people I've ever known.

* * *

**Another A/N:  
**

**I pray you all enjoy this chapter...I wrote it, read it about 10 times, and finally decided that it was as good as it was going to get. Something about it just didn't click for me, but I had no idea what so I just went for it.  
**

* * *

**A/N: Most of this was written listening to (Hunger Games Soundtrack OST): **YouTube - watch?v=RFAUzAtSz0w&list=PL7E32C4A2DFE84544&index=5&feature=plpp_video

**Thanks for reading!**

**To all the people who are reading, reviewing, subscribing, etc. I sincerely thank you! All of it is much appreciated, and I hope you all continue to enjoy this story as much as I enjoy writing it!**

* * *

**Chapter 17 coming soon! Est: (On or Before) 9/16/12**

* * *

**Please take the time to Review/Comment/Subscribe/PM or Email me with questions or ideas!**

_**- Legkicker**_


	17. Chapter 17: Just a Shadow

**Bows and Snares**

**By: Legkicker  
**

**Chapter 17:** Just a Shadow**  
**

**Nightfall** comes so quickly that I don't even notice. It was still light out when I entered the cave, but now as I exit the sun is setting. The temperature is heating up, but that doesn't say much considering it has a long way to go before reaching anything comfortable.

The sky turns its dark shades of orange around the rim, and deep blue in the middle.

Gale rests inside the waterfall, while Lucerna hunts down more berries and food in the surrounding forest. After Gale finally fell asleep, after he finally stopped hugging me and holding me, I decided to find Umbra.

It's been about an hour or two since he took off, and I couldn't help but feel worried. Lucerna kept assuring me he'd return once he calmed down, but it doesn't seem like that will be anytime soon. The last thing we need is him lurking around the forest at night…not that he couldn't handle himself, but we need him.

So I walk along the river, keeping the waterfall within my line of sight. After the whole fiasco with the careers, I don't think I'll ever let Gale outside of a hundred yards again.

But come to think of it, the careers are just about finished. Cato's the only one left, although he's also the strongest. After him, there are only three more tributes to deal with…

But then what?

Gale, Umbra, Lucerna, and me…we're all that's left. Regardless of what he says, I don't see Umbra and Lucerna letting us win. Even if they did, it still comes down to Gale and I. And I definitely don't see Gale letting me send him home.

I almost collide with the dark figure, sitting on the riverbank as I walk. It startles me a bit, and I jump back.

He doesn't look at me, or even take notice to my approach. He sits on the ground, his elbows resting on his knees and the alliance bracelet dangling from his fingers.

"Hey," I whisper, taking a seat beside him, "That was wrong…what I said." I look for a reaction, but his eyes stay fixed straight ahead. The bracelet in his hands captures his attention. I was hurt by Raechill's passing as well, but what can I say? We all know that it is inevitable we're all going to die eventually. All but one of us anyway...

"Thanks for keeping your promise, you brought Gale back," I continue. He still doesn't respond.

I give up on conversation and resort to just giving him my company. We both sit in silence, listening to the water run along the stream. The snow is beginning to melt, causing the river to run higher and faster than before.

Nocturnal animals are beginning to awake, owls hooting and squirrels scurrying home for the night. It's a peaceful time to experience the forest, in the dusk of winter. Unfortunately, it's a bit too cold, but Umbra's jacket alleviates that. Which makes me feel a bit foolish, because he sits beside me with nothing but his undershirt to cover his torso.

"Thanks for your jacket," I whisper, beginning to hesitantly unzip it.

That grabs his attention, "Keep it, I'll get it later."

I'm relieved to hear his voice. "Thanks," I say again. I find myself thanking him quite frequently. At least he's talking now…

"What's it all worth?" he whispers quietly.

I'm about to ask what in the world he's talking about, but instead I think a bit harder. Umbra's known to deliver questions like this, ones where there is no real answer. He just wants to hear my thoughts or what I'm feeling.

So I answer, "Everything." That gets him to look at me, and his scarlet eyes smile for a moment, before returning to their dull state.

"You can live all your life asking 'why'? Why me? Why does it have to be like this?" he kicks a rock into the water, "Or, you can try to solve those questions. But, I find, that no matter how hard you try, there are still times where some outside force prevents you from getting what you want."

Before I can reply, the seal appears and the anthem starts up. The dark sky is illuminated with the blue glow as the faces appear.

It's quite a list tonight, starting with Raechill.

"What does this mean?" he asks, kissing his fingers and holding three up to the sky.

I laugh a little when I see him do it, "It's just a sign of gratitude, to those who have died."

He holds them up towards Raechill's picture and chuckles with me, "Well, I suppose this is a suitable time to use it."

She disappears and is followed by Thresh, concluding with Clove. We watch them vanish and listen as the music finishes. Then the howling winds and desolate sounds of the forest return to us.

"What are you trying to get?" I ask.

His eyes stayed fixed on the sky, "I'm trying to create a world where people don't live in fear, starvation, and anger."

Such a place could not possibly exist. Maybe in the Capitol, they seem to live a pretty comfortable life there from what I've seen. But that's all there is, aside from that are the Districts, where we survive in horrible conditions.

"Sometimes I get the impression people have lost hope that this vision is possible," he reads my mind. "Those are the times I feel like giving up."

He looks at me for a minute, "I would've let you do it you know, kill me…would've spared me a lot of suffering."

My heart aches at the thought of me staring him down with that knife in hand. I couldn't do it, I wouldn't do it.

"So…" his voice has a hint of amusement, "you gave Clove a run for her money I see?"

I give a weak smile and nod. I'm not happy that I had to kill anybody, but the fact that she's no longer a threat is something to be thankful about.

"She gave you a run too, though," he pockets the bracelet and gently scoots over to zip open my jacket, checking the stitches on my shoulder and stomach. He traces the stitching with his fingers ever so lightly, "Do they hurt? Lucerna can fetch some more herbs if you want."

"They're fine…they'd be a lot worse if it weren't for you," I say quietly. It's the truth, while they might still be a painful reminder of the fight today, they were much worse before. In fact, if Umbra had just stayed with Gale, and never shown up, I would've died today. Either I would have bleed to death or hypothermia would've set in.

Something snaps inside of me and I breakdown, rambling on, "If it weren't for you we'd be dead, we would never have made it this far, Raechill would've died alone in that field, Gale would've never been rescued, so you are a hero-"

He cuts me off when I notice him laughing. I wait for him to stop and explain why.

"Katniss," he finishes chuckling, "I'm not a hero!"

I'm so confused at the moment that I just shake my head, "Then what are you?"

My question catches him by surprise. My eyes land on a cut on his bicep, dried blood runs along a groove all the way down to his elbow. So he did get injured today…shouldn't surprise me. I only saw the beginning of the fight anyway.

"I'm just like you, a lost soul looking for a cause. But what sets you and I apart is that I was forced to become something more. I didn't want to be Umbra, but it chose me. So I'm just a shadow, always watching, always hiding, but I'm not a hero. And I'm not being modest. Protecting Gale, protecting you, I do that because I care about the two of you," he answers sincerely.

He sighs and continues, "And I cared about Raechill, but…well, you'll learn some day that there are certain things out of your control. You can try all you want to achieve something, whether it is love, success, or even something as simple as putting food on the table for your family. A greater power usually determines what is possible and what is not…in this case, it's the Capitol."

The Capitol, it affects everyone in Panem. Umbra's right, they're the ones preventing our happiness, our peace. They even succeed in preventing me from 'putting food on the table', as he mentioned. But what does he mean 'Umbra' chose him?

"Which is why, Lucerna and I have to right the wrongs, we're just two people, but we can do it," Umbra looks longingly at the moonlight.

I shake my head, "You're not just two people, you've got me, and you've got Gale. I can't speak for him, but I know I'd give anything to help…"

Umbra slowly turns back my way with his eyes smiling. "Thanks, we needed an 'excuse for an archer'."

He playfully shoves my knee and I can't help but grin. We've had our ups and downs, but I can say he's truly a friend by this point. He's no Gale, but he's still a friend none-the-less.

His voice changes to a soft tone, "Katniss, I think about that a lot, how I acted that night under the oak tree," he says. "If I could change it, I would. You're an amazing archer, I can't wait to see it, and I also have to thank you…you saved me that night. So, that makes you a 'hero' too," he smiles.

My face must light up, because a grin spreads across it and I have to look away.

"You're welcome," I say, trying to act formal. It fails and we both share another laugh.

And with that, we're back to being quiet. It's peaceful, sitting in the cold with him by my side. I exhale my breath, watching it turn to mist before me and swirl up into the dark sky.

I know nothing else can go wrong, because everything already has. Gale and I have been reunited, but for how long? Umbra tells me I have a ticket out of here, and I owe him my trust…

Eventually, after a frigid wind blows and I shiver noticeably, Umbra slowly gets to his feet and helps me up.

"Come on, you should get something to eat and head off to sleep," he says. Nothing could possibly sound better right now…

So we walk together up towards the cave, but once we reach it, I stop. He notices and turns around to look at me.

"Umbra?" I whisper quietly. His eyes meet mine, dark as the night sky. "Are going to make it home?"

Another cold breeze sweeps across the river, the mist hitting my face and causing me to bundle up tighter. I wait for his response, watching as he turns his head back towards the waterfall.

"We'll be fine," is all he answers.

* * *

**Entering** the cave, we find Gale asleep and Lucerna cooking a squirrel over a small fire. It's actually a bit warmer inside, with the body heat and fire trapped inside the stone walls. As Umbra rolls out the sleeping bag over Gale, all I can think about is Raechill. Our tent still sits beneath the oak tree…vacant.

I slip under the bag and nestle my way up against Gale. The warmth is incredible, and I swear it's as if my whole body is buzzing.

Umbra takes a seat beside Lucerna and they whisper back and forth. I can't catch their conversation, but it looks serious. The scent of the squirrel roasting is enough to make me drool and stay awake.

Lucerna slices it down into pieces, handing me a leaf with a few cuts on it.

"Thank you," I say full-heartedly after accepting the food. Lucerna's eyes smile and she goes back to mixing together another paste of berries and herbs. Umbra doesn't eat, he just stares at the flames and keeps to himself.

I feel a bit odd watching the both of them, but I can't help myself. I'd love to know what's going on in their minds…

Just looking at them is enough to tell me, they could've won these games by now. I haven't seen Lucerna in combat, but something tells me she knows how to use a sword.

So I nibble down a few strips of squirrel and find myself staring at the waterfall. I can't sleep, even with the comforting thought of Gale breathing beside me and food in my belly. It's the greatest feeling to know that he's safe…even if it is only for a little while.

I feel him stir, and I grow hopeful as he opens his eyes and squints down at me. A smile spreads across his lips and pulls me up closer to him.

"Hey you," he nuzzles me.

By now, Lucerna has restocked the fire and curled up beside Umbra. He still doesn't sleep, he just stares at the wall…thinking to himself.

"We could do it you know, make it home," Gale whispers to me.

I picture the scene, smiling at the thought. Everything back home, from the woods, Prim, to the broken streets of District 12, I miss them all. They seem so far gone now, so unattainable, so impossible to reach.

"We'll be back in the forest, hunting groosling for Greasy Sae to cook up. Prim will be so happy to see you, Madge…" Gale wanders on.

My fingers trace the zipper on the sleeping bag, "But…there's only one victor."

I can feel Gale's heart skip a beat. Immediately, I feel stupid for ruining the happy thoughts.

He holds me tighter and sighs. "We'll always be together in the end."

In the end, we'll both fall victims to the Capitol.

Umbra pushes Lucerna's shoulder. She wakes up, and slowly stretches out before they enter into another heated conversation. They whisper harshly, just too quiet for us to hear. Finally, Lucerna stares past him to Gale and me.

"Are you sure?" she asks.

Umbra looks back at us, "I'm sure."

Gale and I both perk up a little, glancing at each other before letting our eyes land back on the pair of night and day.

Umbra keeps his voice to a whisper, "The waterfall should mask our voices, and Lucerna already swept this cave for microphones and cameras, but just keep your voices down."

We both stare at them with confused expressions. We didn't seem to be talking that loud, or saying anything important anyway…

"So," Lucerna looks back and forth between us, "You want to know how to get out of this arena?"

* * *

**Another Important A/N:  
**

**The next chapter has a lot of idea's tossed around...obviously, they're all speculation and theorized by me. If there's something you don't approve of, that's fine, but keep in mind that this is MY story and that's how it is. I also had some help from "Fanpire109", they acted as a Beta-Reader and helped more than they know! Look for their name next chapter!**

* * *

**A/N: Most of this was written listening to (Hunger Games Soundtrack OST): **YouTube - watch?v=RFAUzAtSz0w&list=PL7E32C4A2DFE84544&index=5&feature=plpp_video

**Thanks for reading!**

**To all the people who are reading, reviewing, subscribing, etc. I sincerely thank you! All of it is much appreciated, and I hope you all continue to enjoy this story as much as I enjoy writing it!**

* * *

**Chapter 18 coming soon! Est: (On or Before) 9/23/12**

* * *

**Please take the time to Review/Comment/Subscribe/PM or Email me with questions or ideas!**

_**- Legkicker**_


	18. Chapter 18: Plotting and Planning

**Bows and Snares**

**By: Legkicker  
**

**Chapter 18:** Plotting and Planning**  
**

**Immediately**, Gale and I are out of our cuddling positions and sitting in front of her. Gale still puts his arm around my waist and keeps me close as she elaborates on the plan. I thought it would get old, him being overprotective, but since I got him back I don't mind it.

Lucerna uses her hands as she talks, "It's quite a simple concept, yet it's extremely involved. So pay attention."

We nod and remain silent for her to continue.

"I've been surveying this playing field since we stepped off the pedestals, as well as research beforehand and the grateful aid of our mentor…who we knew quite well before the games. He told us things…things that would be punishable by death if overhead by Capitol ears, "she glances at Umbra again. "I've noticed a lot of issues in security, and the most interesting being the 'strict' boundaries set. What I mean is, there are only two things keeping tributes in this arena: the Gamemakers and the force-field."

This plan is already beginning to sound interesting. Is that what the concept is? We're literally going to attempt an escape from the arena? I was hoping for some kind of rescue, but I'll take what I can get by this point.

She clears her throat and goes on, "The Gamemakers can turn around a tribute with fire, floods, and you name it. They keep us all within about 3 kilometers of another tribute. But, that's irrelevant. Say you were to slip past the Gamemakers," she lets that sink in for a minute, "I know it seems impossible, but let's say you don't have a tracker and you're presumed dead…you'd be a ghost if you could sneak like Umbra."

So it's all in the illusion. The trackers in our arms allow the Gamemakers to map our every move. It's also the device relaying information back and letting them know if our hearts have stopped or not.

She proceeds with a bit more enthusiasm, "But that still leaves the force-field, it's there to ensure nobody can successfully pull that off. But, like every great defense, it has a weakness," she leans forward and you can see the excitement in her eyes. "When a tribute dies, a cannon booms…and their body is intercepted by a hovercraft. But, how could that hovercraft possibly enter the arena through the force-field?"

It couldn't. There would need to be a window for it to slip in through. All I know about hovercrafts is their cloaking ability, along with their personal force-fields. But those are military grade, and I suspect they'd use less advanced ones for retrieving dead bodies.

"Right, it needs to shut down…but, unfortunately, I doubt that they'd take down the entire thing. Upon my studies, I came to realize how it operates. It's a disk that delivers some type of electrical current in a 360 degree half-sphere, like a dome. It's very much considered that they can just shut down a portion by stopping the supply of electricity from a certain degree to another degree. But, large enough to fit a hovercraft through is also large enough to fit a tribute through."

Now I'm starting to see where the plan is heading. She's on to something, although it still seems as if the Gamemakers would be a bit smarter. Wouldn't they just open it enough to let the hovercraft through? Like a window in the sky?

"Electricity works as an ongoing current, so they can't just open a window in the sky for it to slip through. By shutting off that supply, the connection would cut off completely and you'd be safe to cross the barrier from the ground level all the way to the generator," she explains further.

I'm amazed. I've known Lucerna for less than a day, and she's already coming off as the smartest person I've ever known. And I'm also shocked she's sharing this information with us. Obviously, she's the one that designed this escape plan…

She leans back and sits cross-legged, "There's a possibility they could use a double-door type deal. Another force-field per say. But there are all kinds of better ways to use force-field technology, they could trap us in so many ways but they're too lazy and they just don't bother. Besides, in reality, nobody has ever attempted something like this…I honestly doubt their security is as strong as it needs to be."

She puts her hands in the air, "But wait! You're wondering where this all happens? Where is this door for the hovercrafts? Well, my friends, it's right under our noses," she gestures out front, towards the waterfall. "That's right, the river…everything happens in the east."

I look at Gale as he cranes his neck to see the water. Is he buying all of this? He looks intrigued, listening to Lucerna and nodding his head each time she says something important.

"Let me explain. First, the names in the sky, at night, they appear in the east! The music and cannon sounds? All come from the east! The sun, obviously enough…the river leads to the east, and the hovercrafts always exit heading downriver!"

"This is the problem," she grows serious again, "It's all a theory, and not actually proven. All we know for sure is that there is at least one force-field, where the crafts exit, that there is a multitude of cameras… and that there's only about a 1% chance of us successfully squeezing a tribute or two out…"

My mind lingers on the last few words, 'a tribute or two'…She doesn't mean Gale and me, she said herself how difficult this escape is. Umbra and Lucerna never even become spotted unless they want to…so they could pull it off.

"But, the luck is still on our side!" Lucerna almost shouts. She catches herself and lowers it down again. "Think about it, how could we hide from the cameras? Well, except for Umbra, who already does…"

His eyes gleam. Did he play a part in this conspiring? He hasn't said a word since she began explaining it, but he's followed every word. A tribute or two, how did he take hearing that part? Come on Umbra, give me a sign…I almost want to confront him. He promised me…but I'm not going to jump to conclusions yet, not anymore. Umbra deserves better from me, and I hope he proves that to be true.

"Thankfully, the weather is on our side. The snow began melting today, thus raising the river's water level. So, in theory, if one was to stay submerged for about two minute intervals for approximately a mile, quickly popping up and ducking back down under the surface, they could ride the river down to the outskirts."

I've only swam a few times in my life, when my father would take me up to a pond past the meadow. I don't recall holding my breath then, but I did today…could I even do _that_ much of the plan? Come to think of it, the freezing water is also going to be a factor. I'm not all that eager to go back into that kind of situation. And still, I have Umbra's jacket, but I'm not going to interrupt Lucerna to return it to him.

She leans back, "Now, the glorious part about their poor security system lays with their final defense…the cameras. At that distance in the arena, nothing interesting happens. The cameras are solely there for surveillance purposes and never displayed to the public. They're actually quite sporadic and easy to spot from what I observed, and they don't hide them in the knots of trees and bushes like they do here. But, they will most likely be concentrated on the exit…"

I never even thought about camera placement in the arena. It sort of makes me feel paranoid that this cave may still have a microphone or something similar that Lucerna may have missed. If that were to be true, we'd probably be shot the minute we stepped through the waterfall.

"They're so easy to spot mainly because any normal tribute would just be running frantically, with no plan whatsoever, easily being picked up on the microphones and recording devices as they did, as well as being traced by their tracker. Why waste time making the cameras so discreet? Besides, they do have aerial imagery in case they would need it," she adds. "We will have to watch out that for by hiding beneath the treetop canopy as we move."

"Now, back to our plan," she jumps back on track, "Even to make it that far, we need an escape before the escape. Mine lies with the dreaded trackers in our arms, which as I mentioned was the average tributes mistake in this plan," she pulls up her sleeve to reveal a deep cut on the underside of her forearm.

There's no blood, or really much bleeding at all, but her tracker is visible. The same purple mixture on Gale's wounds outlines it, crusty and old. The tracker, a small silver object, sits inside with a little blue light that blinks periodically.

She points to it, "That light signifies that we're alive, or that we have a pulse. If we were to 'let it fall out of our arm' right now, you'd hear the cannon boom. So, what we'd do is stage a death, or two in this case."

"Something like, one of us shoots the other with an arrow in a non-lethal part of the body, say the shoulder for example, and they then fall backwards into the river," she flops onto her back and acts out the scene. "Wait a few minutes, rip out the tracker, and soon enough, the arena, the Gamemakers, and even the Capitol will think we're dead! They'd just follow the tracker, waiting for our bodies to show up downriver."

She pops up into a sitting position and pulls her sleeve back down over the cut on her arm, "Hopefully, the tracker should never reach them either though, because most likely it will get jammed up somewhere on the riverbed, and they'd be forced to wait to retrieve the body. Obviously, they can't really bring people in to fish for our bodies while the tributes are still battling in the arena! This delay would put them on a higher sense of alert, but they'd also be so focused on the remaining tributes, and so caught up in finishing the games, that I doubt they'd give a second glance."

She finally finishes, rapidly looking back and forth between Gale and I to capture our reaction to the plan. My mind is numb from all the information, and from the thought that this isn't even our ticket out…it's theirs.

My voice is weak, but I manage to get it out, "Who?"

Lucerna looks at Umbra, and he gives her a quick nod. She stares at the ground for a moment before finally meeting my eyes.

"It was going to be Umbra and me…but, he volunteered his spot to be…open," she looks at him again for help.

He rocks himself off the wall and stretches his arms out, "Well, regardless of what happens, it's a one way ticket. There's no coming back into the arena, and there are only two people going out in that escape. It's still pretty farfetched if you ask me, but I trust Lucerna to know what she's talking about. You two decide who believes her more."

Gale doesn't move, and it seems as if he doesn't even breathe.

"Do not fear, the other one of you will win the games…so hopefully, if it all goes according to plan, the three of you should make a grand-escape," he elaborates.

That's it, that's what Umbra meant this whole time? The plan is plausible, don't get me wrong, and I would've never imagined such a complex idea, but…everyone lives except for Umbra? He's the one who got us to this point!

"Why can't three people go down the river?" Gale asks quietly, "Then we all live."

Umbra shakes his head, "Mr. Hawthorne, I don't suspect you watch the games often…deaths are emphasized on this show. It's already going to be near impossible persuading the crowds watching that two of the most interesting tributes die in a similar fashion…only seconds apart…just to float down a river and their bodies never recovered. Like I said, the third guy gets to win the games."

Gale doesn't accept that, "Umbra, look, Lucerna and you clearly spent a lot of time plotting this escape, you have to be able to find a way out."

"Perhaps so," he starts pacing back and forth in front of us, rubbing his chin, "But what happens…happens. Maybe I make it out, maybe I don't, but the point is I told you a long time ago that you'd be leaving this arena, I never said anything about me."

Gale begins to protest, but Umbra cuts him off with his hand slicing through the air.

"This isn't the time to argue! We have a lot of planning to do! Just tell me who's going with Lucerna," he crosses his arms firmly.

There's no need to tell him, he knows as well as I do that Gale would never let me stay in this arena any longer than I have to.

But I'm surprised when he asks, "What happens if we get caught, trying to escape?"

That's something that never crossed my mind. I was more focused on the Gamemakers killing us along the way, but if they catch us crossing the border…I guarantee it would be a lot worse.

"Well," Lucerna scratches her head, "Unfortunately, we'd most likely be privately executed. I mean, tortured, then executed. Then our families would suffer a similar fate."

Prim, my mother…executed? I can't even fathom the thought, and I refuse to try. Gale has his family to look out for too, with his mother and siblings. So how can we make that decision?

Gale's big eyes gaze into mine, "Which is a safer way out? Escape the arena with Lucerna or finish the fight with Umbra?"

It's such a difficult question to answer. Staying here, you could die any minute. Cato could leap through the waterfall and slaughter us all right now if he wanted to. But, as Lucerna mentioned, her escape plan is so theorized that any number of things could go wrong.

One thing I realize for certain though is that either way, Gale and I are going to be split-up. Neither of us wants that, but we'd both be in trouble without Umbra or Lucerna with us. Plus, it doesn't seem right to take their escape plan from them. At least one of them should go.

"What happens if we stay? More alliances? All the other tributes seem pretty innocent," I point out. Umbra would never kill anybody without reason. Would it just be a stalemate?

"They'll seek confrontation, especially at such a late point in the game. So we won't be making any more alliances…" Umbra rolls his neck. "Look, both of these options have their pros and cons. If you stay with me, you're definitely going home. But, you'll forever be a part of the games. By escaping with Lucerna, _if_ you escape, you'll become a shadow. They'll wipe your records, you'll be presumed dead…you'll be forgotten."

That's exactly what I've been craving for this whole time. To go home and act like this never happened, to be a normal citizen of District 12. Is it possible? Would the other people in the District report me? I doubt it; they'd be thrilled to see I made it home. My family?

But Gale…he'd be going here and there, following whatever the capitol says. But he'll live, that's for sure. So I make the decision for him.

"I'll go with Lucerna," I say quietly, "The plan must work. Besides, with my shoulder cut the way it is, I can't shoot a bow."

Gale doesn't know how to respond. He just looks up at Umbra and thinks to himself. Lucerna seems genuinely pleased I chose her. Like it made her day to see somebody like me trust her so much.

"Looks like it'll just be us then," Gale says to Umbra. "But if you think for even a second that I'm going to kill you in the end…"

Umbra stares back him, "Don't worry, you won't have to."

Gale sighs and runs his hands through his hair, stressfully rubbing his face and staring at me with a look of despair. "I don't know if I like that, I want to know you're okay. And Lucerna said this might end up in you and your family being hurt."

Lucerna stands up and pats Umbra's shoulder before I can reply.

"Grumpy here just wants to get a move on, but we have time," she assures us. "You two can decide in the morning who goes with who."

* * *

**ATTENTION: Important (as always) A/N:  
**

**Big chapter here! I realize some ideas are controversial, but this is the story so take it or leave it, please don't criticize it.  
**

Also, I need your help with the story! Go on my profile and take part in the POLLS that I put up weekly! The one active right now is very important and your votes may persuade this story to take one direction or the other!**  
**

**I'd also like to thank "Fanpire109" for Beta-Reading this chapter. They were a HUGE help, and without them I may have never posted this! So big thanks to them, and if you're reading this Fanpire, you rock!  
**

* * *

**A/N: Most of this was written listening to (Hunger Games Soundtrack OST): **YouTube - watch?v=RFAUzAtSz0w&list=PL7E32C4A2DFE84544&index=5&feature=plpp_video

**Thanks for reading!**

**To all the people who are reading, reviewing, subscribing, etc. I sincerely thank you! All of it is much appreciated, and I hope you all continue to enjoy this story as much as I enjoy writing it!**

* * *

**Chapter 19 coming soon! Est: (On or Before) 9/29/12**

* * *

**Please take the time to Review/Comment/Subscribe/PM or Email me with questions or ideas!**

_**- Legkicker**_


	19. Chapter 19: Calling the Shots

**Bows and Snares**

**By: Legkicker  
**

**Chapter 19:** Calling the Shots**  
**

**Decisions** are made, planning is discussed, and emotions are tossed around like a ship on the oceans. What this means is that we're splitting up, not just Gale and I, but Lucerna and Umbra. So in our final hours, we sit, caressing each other and whispering faux promises we cannot yet ensure.

I sit in between Gale's legs, his arms wrapped around me as we watch the water drop from the fall. The moonlight shines through it, casting a silvery twinkle through the wall of rain.

"If only Effie would've drawn somebody else from that jar," he whispers.

What would it be like? Would Gale and I really be out in the forest, going about our daily routines? Of course we would, but even if that was the case, somebody else would be here. Before my time in the arena, I wouldn't have thought much about the other District 12 tributes, but now I do.

Lucerna's voice catches our attention.

"You'll make it out, I know you will," she says to Umbra. He slips his hand under her hood and cups her cheek. Her hand goes up to his, brushing it lightly as they lock eyes.

"I'll be-"

She grabs his wrist, "Don't tell me that. I know you, and you always forget about yourself. If not for you, then do it for me."

Poor Lucerna, I feel absolutely horrible. Umbra and her had this plan to escape together since the beginning, and here I swoop in with Gale and cut him off.

"Alright," he sighs, "So if I don't make it out…"

Lucerna shakes her head, but Umbra stays serious.

"You know what you have to do. Don't give up, use me as a martyr," he slowly takes his hand back, and pulls her into his arms. They rock back and forth, hugging each other and watching the fire.

Gale shifts me around and I press my cheek up against his broad chest, feeling each breath he takes.

"I forget who he is sometimes," Gale says quietly. "One minute he's slicing careers into pieces, and then he's compassionate."

I don't feel much like discussing Umbra on what could possibly be our last night together. It would confuse me so much I'd almost forget all about it.

* * *

**Awakening** several times during the night, I find myself picturing the escape. Luckily, being that I'm in Gale's caress, I don't have much trouble falling back asleep. I think he stays awake all night, because every time I stir I find him smiling down at me or I feel him stroking my hair.

When morning finally comes, I'm snuggled tight against his body with my head tucked under his chin. Sometime during the night Umbra slipped away. It doesn't surprise me, I know he likes to take morning walks…

Gale nodded off during the early morning hours, his arms holding me. I don't think he looks all that comfortable, but he knows I was sound asleep and that's all that matters to him.

Unfortunately, now I can't fall back into my slumber, although I'm warm and cozy and still wearing Umbra's jacket. I watch the waterfall as the birds and forest slowly begins to awake. The sun has yet to begin rising, and it's still dark out.

I'm happy to see Umbra return before anybody else has awakened, slipping around the waterfall and carrying in two squirrels ready for the fire. If we keep this up, the squirrel population will become extinct.

He sees me and smiles, whispering, "Good morning, Ms. Everdeen. You've probably got a good hour or two before these guys wake up," he points to Lucerna and Gale. He's right, they were both so fussy last night they didn't sleep a wink.

"You should go back to sleep," he advises warmly.

"Alright, Mr. Umbra," I mock his voice and smile back. He chuckles quietly and settles down to start up the fire again.

I return to nestling up against Gale and keeping warm. I don't fully fall asleep, but I find some place in between. The sweet scent of the squirrel roasting and the warmth our bodies provide make it impossible to be much alert.

Eventually, I feel Gale start brushing my hair again, playing with my braid and waking me back up. He laughs when I look up at him.

"God, you look tired," he whispers, "And by the way, you were drooling on me all night."

I look down at his shirt, and sure enough there's a dark spot from my slobber. I laugh quietly and try to wipe it away, "Sorry."

We sit in each other's company and watch the waterfall while Umbra works silently in preparing our breakfast.

Once Lucerna awakes, we chow down on the squirrels and jump right in to discuss today's plan. It's a bitter conversation, but we work through it.

"I'll go corrupt, people have been expecting me to stab you in the back anyway," Umbra says. "I'll make it look like I stabbed you, and then you fall back into the water."

Lucerna tosses aside a bone, "Well, it would have to look authentic enough to sell the Gamemakers. I don't know how good you are at acting."

"Trust me, it'll be the moment they've been waiting for. Besides, if you stay under the water long enough, they'll just switch their cameras back to me chasing Gale, or Katniss," he eyes us both, still awaiting the answer, "Then the two escapees need to be careful and stay hidden," he continues.

We fall quiet, piling up the bones and breaking out a batch of berries to go with our food.

"And then you work on finding a way out of the arena," Gale says firmly. Umbra coughs uncomfortably and scratches his neck. Eventually he looks at Gale and nods. We all know it's just to prolong the conversation, but we let it drop anyway.

"We have the rest of today to prepare ourselves. Although it's pretty much all plotted out already-" Umbra is cut off by the boom of a cannon.

The sound reverberates off the cave walls, rattling the pile of bones and echoing off into the distance.

At first, we're all frozen, but then Lucerna jumps up and tugs me after her.

"Look! Watch!" she drags me around the waterfall as the guys jump up to follow. We exit into the bright morning sunlight, and she stares down the river. I strain to see, but there's nothing there.

"Wait for it…wait for it…" she whispers. After about a minute, it finally happens.

A hovercraft materializes and floats our way, passing over the treetops, blowing the snow from them and heading out towards the cornucopia.

Gale laughs in disbelief, "Lucerna, that's brilliant!"

Her eyes light up and she smiles at us with a twinkle in her eye.

"Come on, inside before somebody see's us," Umbra orders. We all know he's talking about the Gamemakers. They're probably wondering what the hell we're all staring at the hovercraft and praising Lucerna for.

So we duck back in and applaud her there.

"Now it doesn't mean much, just that my theory of 'all events happen in the east' still holds true," she tries to maintain her happiness.

Umbra shakes his head, "Lucerna, you continue to impress me after all these years."

"I know," she laughs, "And that's why you _love_ me!"

They embrace each other again and it continues to break my heart. How can we ruin this relationship?

The sight of that aircraft fluttering overhead filled me with a new sense of hope. Not only does this make me feel a bit more trustworthy towards the plan, but it also means one less tribute to conquer for whoever stays with Umbra.

"Do you think it could have been Cato?" Gale asks.

Umbra thinks for a second, "I hope not, otherwise the cameras will be solely focused in on us. Then we're in a bad spot for staging a death…or two."

"Well, whoever it was, it's another one off the board," Lucerna points out.

My arena jacket sits by the fire, probably nice and toasty by now. I take off Umbra's, revealing my cuts to Gale for the first time.

"Oh God, what happened?" he spins me to face him and inspects my wounds. Lucerna leans in to see what we're staring at, laughing when she sees the stitching.

"Clearly Umbra's work," she shoots him a look and retrieves the paste she had applied to Gale. I hand Umbra his jacket and he fetches mine, giving it to Gale.

He and I both watch in a trance as Umbra holds his jacket at arm's length to check it out. Then he slips his arms through it and slowly zips it up to his chin. He stares us down as he flips his hood up, his entire face concealed once again. His transformation complete…

"Welcome back," Gale says with a smirk. Umbra rolls his neck and nods. He's a whole different person under the influence of the darkness that seems to be attracted to him. Which I must say is very frightening to witness.

As Lucerna wipes the paste onto my cuts, I feel an odd, yet wonderful cooling sensation. It's as if all the pain is diminished the instant it touches my skin. In an inside way, she sort of reminds me of my mother. My mother that I hope to see soon...

* * *

**Hours** pass, and all we accomplish is killing time by scavenging for berries and stocking up some more firewood. It seems to drag on, as I continuously check the sun's position. My time with Gale is dwindling down, and all we've done is ignore the inevitable. We have to make a decision.

I keep telling myself that everything will be alright, that in the end we will be together regardless of what happens. Although I can't tell for sure, I imagine Gale, Umbra, and Lucerna are all pondering the same thing. With the exception of Umbra thinking about suicide…

But now, the sun is beginning to glow with less intensity as it makes its way towards the western sky. We probably only have about an hour at the most before it becomes dark. I bet the Gamemakers are fuming, they've only had one death all day, and it doesn't seem like our alliance is bound to break any time soon.

Which is why we aren't all too surprised when Claudius Templesmith's voice filters into the arena.

"Attention, attention tributes," he calls, "Commencing at sunrise, there will be a feast at the cornucopia. Unlike the others before it, this one has something for everyone, individually. You may find that alliances are petty compared to what you will be receiving…"

That's enough to make us all exchange glances. What could he mean? What could possibly be worth splitting our entire alliance apart? I can't read what Lucerna and Gale are thinking, but Umbra shows his displeasure when he tenses up.

"Don't tell me you're all seriously considering this?" he asks in disbelief. Lucerna coughs and rubs the back of her neck, looking up at the ceiling and whistling softly.

He throws his hands up, "Unbelievable! Did you not hear what he said? First off, it happens tomorrow morning, and even if we go it'll rip us apart!"

"That stuff might be useful…" Gale begins. "Maybe we should talk about this."

"Oh Umbra, you're so stubborn! What if there's something at the feast that can help save you?" Lucerna crosses her arms and vents. I take a step away from them along with Gale. Neither of us wants to be between such a deadly pair during an argument.

Umbra snorts, "Yeah, they'll just hand me a teleporting button or a free pass to leave whenever I feel the need!"

"No, but perhaps it's something you'd use! Perhaps they decide to give you something to help you hide? They know how much you like to hide!" Lucerna argues.

"I bet they love me for that, they just love having a tribute run around undetectable for their cameras," Umbra continues, "In fact, why not help him hide? This isn't a television show or anything, it's not like people don't enjoy staring at a tree and wondering if it's a person. Better off letting me-"

Lucerna cuts him off with a slap upside the head.

"God! You are so ridiculous! I mean seriously Umbra, do you ever listen to a word I say?" she shouts.

Gale and I are both in disbelief. I know Umbra's on good terms with me now, and he promised to never hurt me, but if I were to slap him like that…

He readjusts his hood with an expression of embarrassment, "Yeah, yeah, I've heard it all before…"

"Apparently not," she mutters and wheels around to storm out of the cave.

Umbra shakes his head and watches her exit, "That woman will be the end of me, I swear it…she just cares too much. What's the point? She can live a normal life, that's what I'm giving her."

He sighs and takes a seat by the fire, watching it for a moment. His fists clench and unclench, his foot tapping the ground.

Then, out of nowhere, he kicks out the fire in one swift motion and stands back up. He paces around the inside of the cave, back and forth in front of us. Gale takes my hand and gets a firm hold while we watch.

"Umbra," I whisper, peeking at Gale from the corner of my eye as I continue, "You have to understand where she's coming from. She planned this for you, not us…and you act like it doesn't matter."

I hold my breath, the last thing I want to do is set him off. But, to my relief, he seems to become submissive. His shoulders drop and his eyes shut tight along with another sigh.

Hesitantly, I let go of Gale's hand and walk over to him. I stand in front of him until he opens his eyes to see me. His gaze is enough to tell me to tread carefully.

"Seriously, it's not worth it. You know you can get out of this, you have to try!" I plead, "Please Umbra!"

It's Rue and Raechill all over again. Why do I make friends just to watch them die?

"If you die in here, I'll-I'll never forgive myself," I can feel the tears welling in my eyes, "It's not worth throwing your life away! Raechill died saving me, I don't want to see that happen to you!"

The floodgates open and I breakdown, sobbing into my hands. God, it makes me feel pretty weak to cry right now, but by this point I don't care. It's not just about losing another friend, it's everything. Prim getting reaped, Gale volunteering, Rue dying, Clove killing Raechill…

Umbra gently takes a hold of my upper arms and I open my eyes, trying to look at him through the tears as I weep. He looks at Gale over my head, nodding at him for something.

"Katniss, it's okay, I'm trying, alright? I promise," the softness in his voice shows his compassion. "Truly, I'm not throwing my life away, but you have to worry about Gale and you. I'll worry more about myself once I know everybody else is okay, that's just who I am, and you know that…"

I wipe the tears away and sniffle, staring down at my feet, "But you said-"

"Hey," he whispers. I look back up at him through foggy eyes. "We'll be fine, okay? I'm sorry…"

He hugs me and I wrap my arms around him tightly. I think I got my point across. I didn't intend to fall apart in the process, but oh well. Whatever works, works. I'm just happy that Umbra's going to try now. I can picture it…all of us living peacefully after we get out of this nightmare…if such a future is still possible.

"How about this," he holds me back, taking his hand and rustling my hair, "I'll leave the decision up to everybody, it's not fair that I call the shots. You tell me, do you want to wait until tomorrow? We can check out this 'feast' in the morning, and decide what to do tomorrow if you'd like? Or, we can continue with our plan and leave tonight… Lucerna and Gale already seemed to cast their votes, so I guess it's your call."

Looking back at Gale, his expression sells it. He wants me to stay, he knows I'll be safe here and that this is the ticket home. And besides, Gale and Umbra are the strongest in our group, it would only make sense to divide the power…

But what does that mean for him? Does the hovercraft sighting earlier this morning really mean Lucerna is right? She said herself it only proves a few things…or at least supports them.

When I look back at Umbra I decide to make a proposition.

"I'll stay here and Gale will escape with Lucerna, but can we all go to the feast? Together?" I ask.

Umbra pats my shoulder, "If that's what Lucerna and you wish, Gale?"

I turn to see him nod. That seals it, we're going to the feast and I'm staying with Umbra. I go back to holding Gale's hand and we comfort each other with more unsupported promises. It'll be another long night, but at least it's another night with Gale.

* * *

**A/N:  
**

**Surprise update! Sorry for any notable grammatical or spelling errors, this was pretty rushed. I felt like getting this chapter up earlier than intended so I could keep on schedule (I've added more chapters to my outline and things got a bit jumbled). Next chapter, next Saturday!  
**

Also, I need your help with the story! Go on my profile and take part in the POLLS that I put up weekly! Thanks to any voters, you're votes are ALWAYS important! One vote could shift the tide of the entire story, so make sure to do your part!**  
**

* * *

**A/N: Most of this was written listening to (Hunger Games Soundtrack OST): **YouTube - watch?v=RFAUzAtSz0w&list=PL7E32C4A2DFE84544&index=5&feature=plpp_video

**Thanks for reading!**

**To all the people who are reading, reviewing, subscribing, etc. I sincerely thank you! All of it is much appreciated, and I hope you all continue to enjoy this story as much as I enjoy writing it!**

* * *

**Chapter 20 coming soon! Est: (On or Before) 9/29/12**

* * *

**Please take the time to Review/Comment/Subscribe/PM or Email me with questions or ideas!**

_**- Legkicker**_


	20. Chapter 20: Bed and Breakfast

**Bows and Snares**

**By: Legkicker  
**

**Chapter 20:** Bed and Breakfast**  
**

**Lucerna** comes back into the cave and almost slams Umbra into the wall…but she's not mad, she's in tears.

"Why do I always hit you?" she bawls. I feel a bit sorry for her, until her crying turns into laughter.

He pats her back, before pushing her away, "Oh would you give it a rest already! Always with the up and down emotions!"

Gale and I watch, both of us so intrigued we can't peel our eyes from the couple. Dysfunctional wouldn't describe them, but I can't think of another word. They're only my age, yet they resemble an older pair. I guess I shouldn't be surprised considering Umbra is as wise as he is strong.

Lucerna on the other hand seems so different from him. Not only does she dress his polar opposite, she acts it; with her upbeat attitude and free emotions.

But, at least they both share the common interest of helping everybody they come in contact with. Well, I have yet to see how Lucerna acts around other people, it should be interesting.

"I heard I get to take the punching bag?" she raises a brow at Gale. He returns the expression.

She can't hold it long enough before laughing, "I'm only teasing, see how you are? And that means Umbra is stuck with Sagittarius."

When I realize she's referring to me, I ask, "Sagittarius? What?"

"Yeah, you know? The archer? Half horse?" she explains, which in turn just confuses me even more. I mouth 'oh' and pretend like I understand what she is talking about. Umbra isn't so easily fooled and his eyes smirk at me.

Lucerna is already confusing enough to begin with. Let's face it, she's brilliant, a great conspirer, but when it comes to certain things she'll twist you around and flip the world upside down. No people skills, yet personable, as in she is instantly friends with you even if you're not. Which I am…and Gale, which hurts my mind to think about.

So I give up.

"Should we celebrate by finding some special berries for dinner?" she asks nonchalantly.

Umbra begins cleaning up the mess he made from kicking the fire, rebuilding it and striking together a flame.

Once it catches he looks up at her, "Berries again, huh? I think we should invest our time planning on how to go about attending the feast in the morning," he replies.

"Oh, I wonder what they're going to give us!" Lucerna says dreamily.

Gale walks over, my hand still in his, "What's there to plan?" we both sit down in front of the fire, "I doubt anybody would attack us."

I stare at the fire, waiting to hear their thoughts. I'm in a trance of sorts, picturing the feast in my mind. I can see it now, all four of us walking up to the cornucopia. Gale's right, nobody would mess with us, not even Cato.

Lucerna is about to reply when we hear the anthem begin, and we're all back outside and staring up at the sky.

I'm a bit surprised when the girl from District 5 is shown. Foxface, that's what I always called her. She's all for tonight, and she disappears to the fading music.

All I know is that I never saw her once after the bloodbath. Most of the other tributes were slaves, but she must've been hiding.

Anyway, that was our appearance for the night, and we slip back inside the cave and disappear. I'm sure the Gamemakers are agitated that we're hiding like this, surely they know Lucerna covered the microphones and cameras…meaning she's on their hit list.

"Alright then, we'll just discuss the other plan then," Umbra begins quietly, "We have a bit of a problem…if I'm supposed to help Katniss win, how am I going to do that without giving us away? Obviously, if I 'kill' Gale and you, I can't just be seen helping Katniss. That wouldn't make any sense."

That is a pretty big flaw…and it gets the wheels turning in everybody's head. I try to think of a solution, who else or how else could Gale and Lucerna 'die'? I could chase them, but that would make even less sense. I've been pretty passive this entire time, if I attack it might ruin the plan. My only kill was Clove, and even then I only planned for her to drown…

I snap my fingers when the idea hits me and I whisper, "Maybe you two fall into the river, and act like you can't swim. That would get you even further downriver, and you could just pretend to drown along the way."

Gale thinks about it, nodding his head, "You know what, that's actually a great idea…we could splash around for a quarter mile and ride the river to the force-field."

Umbra explains the rest with a question, "So, we just act depressed after we learn of your deaths, and move on?"

When I nod he looks at Lucerna. She shrugs her shoulders. If it's good enough for her it's good enough for the rest of us.

Umbra pokes at the fire with a stick, "Good, tomorrow we head to the feast then."

* * *

**The** night drags on again, panning out to be an exact rendition of the previous night before it. Gale and I comfort each other, as does Umbra and Lucerna. I lie awake for much of the time, just picturing the feast.

What will the Gamemakers have for us? What could be useful enough to separate our alliance? They don't normally hand out Gale's, Umbra's or Lucerna's…

Eventually fatigue sets in, and I drift off…only to be stirred again shortly after.

"Wake up," Lucerna says in a monotone voice. It's not as pleasant as our normal waking up to the scent of squirrels roasting, but she seems serious. The sky is still dark, and just like yesterday morning I can hear the birds beginning to chirp.

"We need to get there early if we're going," she smiles. I rub the tired from my eyes and shake Gale's shoulder until he is up and alert.

I'm beginning to feel a bit nervous about the whole situation. I can't be much safer than I already am with Gale, Umbra, and Lucerna, but there's always that 'maybe'…or 'what if', in this case. What if something happens and one of us doesn't come back?

Umbra would probably say something about negative thinking if I brought that up, so I don't. Besides, it's a bit too late to back out now, and I'm not about to cower away.

We chow down on a helping of berries in silence. I realize Umbra is absent, meaning we get what Lucerna picked out.

"Umbra is surveying the cornucopia, he'll be back in a few," she assures us. Of course he is, I always wondered how he knew where everybody was. He must sneak out in the dead of night and keep locations on the remaining tributes.

Gale yawns and stretches his arms, refraining from eating more than a handful of food. I can tell he's nervous too as his foot keeps tapping and his eyes look off into space. I just try to focus on the 'whole' situation, hoping that in a few weeks I'll be back home in District 12 with him and Prim.

Was it a good choice to stay an extra night? Are we just prolonging the inevitable?

Hopefully it was, and like I said it was another day with Gale. And if we're lucky, it won't be our last.

After sitting in the glow of the fire for a few more minutes, Umbra returns through the waterfall.

"Good morning," he greets us. "Looks like we've got _another_ small problem here…"

My stomach flops and I drop my berries back into the pile. I don't feel much like eating…

He sighs, "I know Cato is in the cornucopia, waiting for the feast to arrive, and the boy from District 9 is on the opposite side of the clearing…but the girl from District 4 is nowhere to be seen."

Lucerna shrugs, "So? She's not much of a threat, all we have to watch out for is Cato."

I'm actually surprised that the District 4 girl managed to survive so long. I can remember her in the training center, throwing knives and spears. I never really imagined she'd be much of a threat, but perhaps we shouldn't throw her out of the picture just yet.

Honestly, I almost forgot she was still alive. That makes three female tributes and three male tributes left. At least two of those tributes, Gale and Lucerna, should be gone by tonight. That should satisfy the Gamemakers.

Umbra unsheathes his sword, "Let's hope this goes smoothly, ready to take a walk?"

* * *

**We're** silent the entire trip up through the forest to the edge of the clearing. It's a creepy feeling, walking through the forest in the dull shade of the morning sky. The feast must be commencing soon, at the first sign of daylight.

The forest is eerily quiet, as if the birds chirping is all there is to accompany our footsteps. I don't even see much game running around, only a rabbit and a pair of squirrels.

Umbra and Lucerna take the lead, walking a few paces ahead of Gale and I.

Lucerna is armed with an intimidating blade, about two feet in length and serrated on both sides. She spins it as she walks, already giving off the impression she knows how to handle it.

Although my shoulder is still very much useless, I carry the bow. If need be, I could easily take a few shots. It's the result I'm worried most about, the stitches may tear if I put too much strain on them. Hopefully I won't need to use it…

Gale carries his spear, it's all he has after losing his makeshift bow to the careers.

We pass by the pond, the snow surrounding it melting away but still bloody. It's a horrible sight, one that I try not to see more than a glimpse of. Gale looks though, and his face shows his concern. Yeah, I never really explained to him how bad that fight actually was, did I?

Once that's behind us, it's a small stretch of woods up to the cornucopia. The landscape gradually slopes upwards, making the clearing rest on the top of a hill.

We reach the edge, hunkering down and looking out over the field.

"Looks like we're late for breakfast," Lucerna points out. The table is already in place, long and silver with grey bags displaying our District numbers on the front. My eyes scan around behind it for the District 9 boy, failing to spot him. Then I remember where Cato is, and my eyes train on the metallic shell he hides in.

Now, the sunshine is cresting the mountaintops, shining down and reflecting brightly off the cornucopia. The temperature is warming up a little bit, but it's hard to tell how much as we're all a bit hot from trudging through the snow up to here.

Lucerna stands up, "Let's get our stuff before that punk decides to take it!"

Umbra definitely wants to wait a bit longer, devise a plan and find the best tactic to approach the situation…but he's keeping his word and letting us call some of the shots. You'd think Lucerna would be the one wanting to make the plans, but it seems she'd rather just cut to the point. Honestly, I think she's just interested in what's in the bags rather than worried about being attacked.

So we start the long walk towards the table, weapons in hand. It's pretty easy going, even with my heart beating a little faster. Footprints mark up the snow in front of us, crisscrossing and zigzagging around the area. Here and there are spurts of blood, but nothing too noticeable.

From the bags still present on the table, it looks as if nobody has come to collect theirs yet. We all stare down the cornucopia, waiting for him to appear. I'm starting to believe Umbra might be wrong for once.

We're about halfway there when he appears. We were all silently anticipating his arrival, but he still manages to catch us off guard…

Cato slips out of the cornucopia…the girl from District 4 in his grasp. He holds a knife to her throat, his other hand on the back of her head. She's completely at his expense, his hostage and body shield from my arrows.

Umbra freezes and we all stop mid-step.

"Oh look, it's the saviors themselves!" Cato howls. "Glad you could make it!"

Lucerna glances at Umbra, who looks like he's about to charge. Now my heart is racing again, and I wish I wouldn't have made the decision to come up here. Even with all of us here, somebody is bound to get hurt...

"Weren't expecting this? I thought you knew everything!" Cato continues. The girl struggles to keep the knife away from her, craning her neck and locking her hands on Cato's forearm. It's no use, he completely dwarfs her. Her face is smeared with dirt, making it almost the same color as her black hair, with tear streaks cutting through the grim on her cheeks.

Cato twists her chin up and she whimpers, reaching a hand out towards us. He could break her neck or cut her throat in a flash, each one just as gruesome.

Umbra takes a step forward, still separated by about 40 yards. "Let the woman go, and I'll be sure to make this quick."

Cato laughs, "You sure know how to negotiate! In fact, why not help you guys out by slicing this pretty little neck into a smile?"

Images of Raechill flash in my mind, and I'm afraid I might lose my breakfast.

"If you do, you'll have to eat that knife," Umbra threatens, slowly taking small steps over one at a time as he speaks. Cato catches on quickly though, and he starts backing up.

_Don't do this Umbra…_Why does he always have to try and save everybody? Cato's too dangerous, even for him.

"Ah, don't worry, I think she's too much fun to kill. Kept me good company last night," his face hardens, "Since you killed Glimmer!"

Lucerna intervenes, grabbing Umbra's arm and spinning him to face her, "We can't save her… she'll just end up dead sooner or later. I know it goes against our teachings, but we also learned to kill one and save a thousand. Let this one go…"

Her words are a bit harsh, but just as true. What would be the point of saving another tribute just to watch them die in the near future? Umbra was the one who said no more alliances…

He takes Lucerna's shoulders and whispers, "But she's been through hell, we all have. She deserves a better death…"

"You haven't seen hell Umbra, and if you don't let this go, I'll show you," she warns, she turns back to me. "Katniss, Gale, grab our bags."

"Right," Gale answers, readying his spear and checking me. I nod and we slowly begin to make our way over to the table. Cato is a safe distance away from it, about 20 yards and out of range to attack us.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Cato yells, "Back up!"

Gale and I press forward until we reach the bags, quickly working to throw them over our backs. Gale takes both of the ones from 10, and I grab the 12's. I hear something clank around inside, and I'm sparked with curiosity…

Until a blood curling scream rings out and captures my attention, my heart skipping a beat. My eyes snap back up onto the girl in Cato's arms, his knife driven clear through her cheek, blood pouring out.

"Drop the bags or she loses an eye," he growls. I look at Gale, who looks just as helpless.

Lucerna makes the decision, "Bring the bags over here or you _both_ lose _both_ eyes!"

I'm about to obey, when I see Umbra staring me down. Why? What's he looking at me for?

Umbra wants me to salvage this situation, save the girls life…exactly what Lucerna is telling me not to do. Night and day, how do they get along? Opposites attract I suppose…

"Cato," Umbra still tries to bargain.

He seems to be intrigued, withdrawing his knife from the girl's cheek. She screams in pain and bawls. I've never felt so horrible for somebody in my life, or even witnessed something like this.

"I'm listening…" he says.

Umbra stares him down, "Just me, and you. No blades."

My eyes open wide and Lucerna shoves him, "No!" she turns to me and points to the hostage, "Katniss, shoot somebody!"

I'm in a panic, rapidly looking back and forth between Lucerna, Umbra, Gale, Cato and the girl. My fingers stay wrapped around the arrow, ready to pull the string back and take a shot.

* * *

**A/N:  
**

**Sorry for the late post, but I didn't want to post on Sunday again! A couple more chapters to go! **

**Cliffhanger? Help decide what happens! C****heck out the new POLL on my profile! **

**P.S. To the guy reviewing my story as a Guest, please, refrain from trying to rush me. I'm glad you like the story, but I do have a life you know! I don't write 24/7, but I try to consistently post once a weekend, thanks!**

**(Also, I moderate your reviews so that some of the repeating ones aren't posted (I.E. "Hurry")  
**

Also, I need your help with the story! Go on my profile and take part in the POLLS that I put up weekly! Thanks to any voters, you're votes are ALWAYS important! One vote could shift the tide of the entire story, so make sure to do your part!**  
**

* * *

**A/N: Most of this was written listening to (Hunger Games Soundtrack OST): **YouTube - watch?v=RFAUzAtSz0w&list=PL7E32C4A2DFE84544&index=5&feature=plpp_video

**Thanks for reading!**

**To all the people who are reading, reviewing, subscribing, etc. I sincerely thank you! All of it is much appreciated, and I hope you all continue to enjoy this story as much as I enjoy writing it!**

* * *

**Chapter 21 coming soon! Est: (On or Before) 10/7/12**

* * *

**Please take the time to Review/Comment/Subscribe/PM or Email me with questions or ideas!**

_**- Legkicker**_


	21. Chapter 21: Good Times, Bad Times

**Bows and Snares**

**By: Legkicker  
**

**Chapter 21:** Good Times, Bad Times**  
**

**Why** do I have to be the one to make this decision? How can I weigh the balance between life and death for somebody? Seeing the girl struggle in Cato's grasp, it just makes me want to save her even more, and I can see why Umbra feels the same way.

But Lucerna is right, this girl is just another obstacle we have to clear. She's all about helping people, but unlike Umbra, she knows where to draw the line. If this girl lives, it'll just be one more person Umbra will try to get out of here.

Meaning he'll make another plan, but not for himself.

So while Lucerna battles Umbra to keep him at bay, I turn to face the hostage.

"Katniss," Gale whispers, "You don't have to do this…"

I draw back the string, "No, but somebody does."

My shoulder stings, and the pain increases the longer I'm drawn. I can feel the stitches straining, tearing even while I keep my hold.

When I release, the arrow zips from the string and flies across the field separating us. It all happens in a flash, sinking deep into the girl's heart and killing her instantly.

Cato didn't even have time to flinch, shocked when he realizes his shield has been punctured.

Before I have time to notch another arrow, he's turned around and bolting into the forest.

"No! Get off me!" Umbra roars. Lucerna can't hold him down, and she's pushed aside as he gives chase. But he doesn't get passed Gale, who locks onto his shoulders and presses him up against the Cornucopia.

"Not here! You can kill him later-" Gale is cut off by the sound of the cannon, marking the death of the District 4 girl.

Umbra stares at her body for what seems like forever, before finally patting Gale's hand. He releases his grip, and Umbra slowly makes his way over to the fallen tribute.

Lucerna, Gale, and I just watch as he kneels down beside her and takes her lifeless hand in his.

"I've seen such hope crushed in an instant," he whispers, using his gloves to wipe the blood and tears away from her face, "But it's never easy."

He removes the arrow from her body and cleans the blood off in the grass. I expect him to give it back to me, but instead he wraps the girl's hands around it and makes her hold it over her chest.

"An arrow killed her, one the Gamemakers supplied, you didn't kill her," he looks at me. That doesn't really make much sense, but I'm not going to open my mouth.

Gale makes the mistake of saying something, "Umbra, what makes this tribute different than the ones you've killed?"

The fire in his eyes glows, "The difference is she didn't chose this fate, it chose her. And the Capitol chose to make this _god-forsaken_ arena…I only kill the ones who find the glory in decapitating innocent children, not for the ones who are reaped, or even the ones like you, who volunteer to show that this isn't a game to you…it's showing the Capitol that they can't control who we are."

He shifts to face us, "While they may cut off our food supply, place Peacekeepers in our Districts, they don't control who I am. This girl spent her final hours wishing for things she knew were impossible to obtain - home, help, even a better death. While the Capitol spent those hours enjoying every minute of it!"

Lucerna sighs and rubs her neck, "Here we go again…Umbra, we know the Capitol is bad, you don't have to keep reminding us."

Umbra always has to make a big deal out of a tribute dying, especially if it's one that's harmless. While I agree with everything he's saying, what good does it do to talk about it? I just hope the people in the Capitol like him enough to keep him around, otherwise the Gamemakers will assassinate him for treason.

"Well it's not right for me to just let it go, I take every kill personally," he turns back to the girl and whispers in his ancient language before closing her eyes and getting to his feet.

"Are you going to have an attitude all day now?" Lucerna asks in annoyance. Umbra just glares at her.

She throws her hands up, "Whatever, be that way, let's head back."

* * *

**Lucerna** and Umbra are still bickering as we near the river. I feel somewhat like a ghost, drifting along with this empty feeling. Was I the one to cause all this fighting?

I try to ignore that question, and entertain myself by looking around the forest. The trees are so messed up from the sudden change of seasons, with green leaves still trapped under the snow. But most of that snow is melting now, creating icicles and dripping off the branches. The late-morning sun shines brightly off of them, casting a beautiful, sparkling glow.

I figured Lucerna out, or at least I think I did. The night I met her, she was quiet, so shy it seemed. Perhaps that's what it is, she's just shy. That's what I thought at first, but nobody can be so personable _and_ as timid as she was.

So it happens when she's sad. Just like Umbra…

When Umbra gets mad, it's a scary sight, to say the least. His muscles tense up, and his voice grows dark and evil, filled with hate and anger. His whole body seems to tower higher and his fists clench so tight they shake.

Lucerna, on the other hand, handles her emotions almost exactly the same. Sure, she can get mad like Umbra, recalling the slap to his head. But, if something upsets her, she gets real quiet and her light blue eyes grow dark and gloomy.

Of course, there are times here and there where Umbra will get a bit soft too. Like when he recalls Raechill and when I'd blame him.

I missed his personality when he would talk to her. It was as if he wasn't so powerful, just a gentle giant. Every now and again he shows this, when I broke down in front of him. His eyes turn playful and his voice is soothing.

"I don't understand why you take it to heart…" Lucerna whispers, "She _had_ to die, and that was how fate chose it."

I bump into Gale after shuffling along, staring at the ground and following his tracks.

"Guys…" he murmurs, "Our cave is…gone."

Sure enough, the entrance, where the waterfall was, is broken down into a pile of rocks with water rushing over top of it. It's a hard sight to take in, as it looks so different than what I'm used to seeing at this end of the arena.

My shoulders droop down in defeat. This was last thing we needed right now…

Lucerna walks up behind me and gently rubs my back, sending goose bumps up my arms.

"Sorry, they don't want us to hide anymore," she says.

I quickly try to take the blame, I need to take some blame for something. "Oh no, it's not your fault. Gale and I have been camping in there since day one, they just want a change of scenery."

She gives me a weak smile, and opens up my jacket to check my shoulder. It's a repulsive sight, with crusty paste from the berries and dried blood mixing in with the broken stitches and exposed wound. I have to look away, but Lucerna actually leans in a bit closer to inspect it.

"Katniss, I'll fix this," she assures me faintly. Perhaps when she's sad, she just wants to keep herself occupied. But one thing is for sure, the excitement of finding out what's in the bags on our backs has become a low priority.

I've felt stuff clanking around in the sacks the entire walk back, but I got a little too caught up in my own thoughts to pay much attention.

And now, with this revelation that our hideout has been – intentionally - destroyed, we're left with the more immediate issue of finding a new one.

"Come on, we'll just head to the meadow," Umbra says, his voice filled with grief. Sometimes I want to tell him and Lucerna to keep their thoughts to themselves, I worry that the Gamemakers take these attitudes seriously.

* * *

**Finally,** arriving at the meadow, we're happy to see the campsite previously set up by Raechill and I still exists. It's a far distance in the arena at this point in time, especially considering that we're down to six people, four of which are in the same location.

We have to make this escape tonight, with no more delays. Otherwise, the Gamemakers might release something to thin out the herd…which is already what they were trying to do with the feast. And, who knows, it might work.

Gale and I throw down the bags by the old fire-pit, partially exposed as the snow continues to melt. The meadow is no longer beautiful, as it was when it was filled with flowers or covered in a perfect white blanket. Now it's dirty, tracked up, and dead, scraggly plants struggle to resurface.

Umbra gets to work on collecting firewood, while Lucerna heads off in the opposite direction to find some berries.

Leaving Gale and I to stand mindlessly by the stick-tent.

"Should we check the bags?" I suggest. "Maybe just theirs, to make sure it's nothing bad?"

Gale lifts one with his boot, letting it sink back to the ground, "No, wait until they come back."

I cross my arms and stare them down, "I don't know, what if it really is something that could split them apart? They don't seem very happy with each other right now…this could push them over the edge."

Gale ponders the thought. "Yeah, but Umbra and Lucerna seem stable. I think it would take something extreme to separate them. Kind of like us."

The way he says those last words catches me by surprise. Obviously Gale and I are inseparable, hence why we're both in this arena, but he just compared our relationship to theirs. And their relationship is a bit more serious than ours. Or is it?

"Yeah, I guess we should wait," I answer.

* * *

**The** pair eventually returns about an hour later, both carrying a minimal of what they actually set out for. They must've been thinking too hard to multi-task and pick up a few things.

Once we get a fire going, Umbra takes out the parachute compartment and Lucerna dumps the berries inside.

"Parachute, when did you get that?" Gale asks.

I slap a hand to my forehead, "Oh, that's right!" I search around my jacket and pants pockets until I find his gloves, now wrinkled and shriveled up.

"Sorry, I completely forgot. Haymitch sent them while you were in the cornucopia, never crossed my mind," I explain.

Gale takes the luxury and works them onto his hands, smiling at the warmth they provide. I look down at mine. They're a bit torn, somewhat burned, and virtually useless for keeping my hands warm. Regardless, they provide good traction for the bowstring.

Umbra notices the sacks still sitting in the snow, staring at them for a while before noticing Gale and I have been waiting.

He picks up one of the 10's, "Oh, you could've opened them-"

"That was nice of you to wait for us," Lucerna cuts in lightly.

He looks up at her and nods, "Yes, it was."

He slowly begins to pull it open, pausing before he can peek in. "Let's promise right now, that this won't change our status."

We all nod and agree a bit too quickly, giving away our eagerness.

Reluctantly, Umbra reaches down in and begins to pull out the items stashed inside. The first thing he comes up with is a set of new clothing, dry and clean. Lucerna offers to hold them while he continues digging around.

The next object he comes up with is a small, silver box with a latch. He pops the lock and folds the top back to reveal a syringe, filled with a clear substance and the needle capped off with a cork.

Lucerna gently reaches down and picks it up, "Let me see, this isn't your field of expertise…"

We all watch as she flips it back and forth, her fingers eventually locating a small sticker on the backside of the tube.

"T104, this is a lethal substance. Since it's such a small dose, it would act more like a sedative than poison," she sets the syringe back inside the box and Umbra snaps the lid closed.

Poison? Do the Gamemakers really believe poison would be enough to split an alliance?

I hope so, because that's not going to be enough to break us up. Plus, Lucerna said it would act as a sedative so you couldn't really kill anybody with it anyway.

"The Gamemakers must want somebody to inject someone else, then have them slit their throat once they pass out. More blood than just poisoning them I suppose," Umbra says with a bit of agitation.

He's putting the box back inside the bag when he touches something else, pulling it up to reveal a similar box. It's about the same size as the silver one, but instead it's colored black with holes poked into the top.

Three buttons are lined up across the front. The first one is two arrows pointing to the left, the button in the middle is a larger arrow pointing to the right, and the third is two arrows also pointing to the right.

Umbra presses down on the middle button, and I nearly gasp as I hear my voice.

The speaker plays it loud and clearly:

"_I hated her, she was useless and if we kept her around any longer we'd just be sharing our resources. It was a reaction, when I saw her, I tackled her and cut her throat…it was horrible, but it had to happen. What do we do?" I ask._

"_There's nothing we can do, if you killed her, you killed her. Who's gonna' know?" Gale's voice replies._

"_If Umbra finds out it was me, he'll kill us. He cared about her too much to let it go," I continue._

"_He won't find out, and if he does, we'll just kill him. I mean, sooner than later, right? We've been planning this since we met him," he says._

"_Yeah, but he's got that Lucerna girl…" I warn._

"_Forget Lucerna, she's as weak and useless as Raechill was. We'll just wait until after the feast, then we'll do it and take their stuff."_

The message cuts out.

I'm left standing like a statue, my entire body white and frozen. My eyes are opened as wide as my mouth, and my heart is ricocheting off my chest. Gale seems to be in a similar state of shock, both of us staring straight at the recorder in Umbra's hands.

The forest is dead silent, no birds, no wind, no nothing...just the sound of my uneven breathing.

Umbra, ever so slowly, raises his head up to stare straight into my soul. I'm no longer a statue, as I'm now shaking so violently my teeth are rattling.

Even Lucerna is staring at me, but her eyes aren't as angry. They look hurt, as if she might begin crying any second. I can't decide which is worse to look into, her eyes or Umbra's.

'_Say something!' _I keep telling myself. My mind is racing and I'm trying to think of all the things to blurt out to defend myself. I didn't kill Raechill, I know that, but how could I convince him? How did the Gamemakers get that audio?

I draw in another sharp gasp as Umbra drops the recorder back into the bag with his eyes still piercing through me. Gale gently slips his hand around mine and squeezes tightly.

Umbra clears his throat, "I don't know…" he looks at the bags, at Lucerna, and back at us, "whether I should let you try to explain this tape, or if I should show you how the poison works."

* * *

**A/N:  
**

**Chapter Credited To:** Fanpire109!

*****Thanks Fanpire for helping me out yet AGAIN! I can't thank you enough or explain how much it means for your assistance! If I have a question, you're there to answer and give me input!***  
**

**I didn't mean for this update to be on Sunday, sorry about that. I also realize this chapter is probably riddled with errors, and I hope it doesn't ruin it. Anyways, happy reading!  
**

Please vote! Voting has more influence on these chapters than you could imagine, and they make a HUGE difference in the outcome of the story. Thanks to any potential voters! Leave a note or PM and maybe I'll make a list of who voted in the A/N.**  
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**A/N: Most of this was written listening to (Hunger Games Soundtrack OST): **YouTube - watch?v=RFAUzAtSz0w&list=PL7E32C4A2DFE84544&index=5&feature=plpp_video

**Thanks for reading!**

**To all the people who are reading, reviewing, subscribing, etc. I sincerely thank you! All of it is much appreciated, and I hope you all continue to enjoy this story as much as I enjoy writing it!**

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**Chapter 22 coming soon! Est: (On or Before) 10/14/12**

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**Please take the time to Review/Comment/Subscribe/PM or Email me with questions or ideas!**

_**- Legkicker**_


	22. Chapter 22: Goodbye Gale

**Bows and Snares**

**By: Legkicker  
**

**Chapter 22:** Goodbye Gale**  
**

**Petrified**, that's how I feel as Umbra stares me down. I'm more afraid now than I was stepping onto the hovercraft to head into the arena.

Gale has my hand, ready to defend me if need be, but I hate to admit that doesn't exactly make me feel too safe. Umbra and Lucerna could take us out easily, which is exactly what the Gamemakers are doing. The tension is murder, and I'm sure the crowd loves it.

How could Umbra believe what he hears on a tape? He knows me!

But it was my voice, and Gale's! It even fooled me for a minute, before the context of the conversation gave it away.

There's no hope is there? The Capitol is going to win again, as it always does. In a moment, Umbra will have a needle in my neck and I'll watch the life drain out of me as they go after Gale.

"Ms. Everdeen, I'm waiting…" he says. His voice, it's the one he uses when talking to his enemies. The one he never uses with me…

Lucerna is also panicking now, "Umbra, you know that tape could have been staged. It wouldn't be hard for the Game-"

His hand shoots up and she stops immediately, "Lucerna, let _them_ answer."

Oh God, Lucerna can't even save us. Gale clutches my hand so tight our knuckles crack.

He begins to explain in a soft voice, "Umbra, you know Clove killed Raechill…"

Umbra stares him down. Minutes seem to pass before he laughs darkly, "No, Mr. Hawthorne, I don't. To be quite honest, I believe I was too busy saving your life."

Gale doesn't like that, and I can actually feel a bit of anger in his veins. My mind no longer focuses on trying to tell them I didn't do it, instead, I think of my weapons. My bow is useless at this range, but the knife on my belt is ideal for close quarters.

"Don't forget who saved you, you'd have died in that meadow," Gale gestures to the field beside us, "If not for Katniss and me."

Umbra nods in an accepting manner, "True, good observation. But you see, you did it to use me. Because I was your best bet to getting out of here, and I'm your best bet for never leaving here."

He stands up, moving his eyes back onto mine.

"Katniss, you're awfully quiet. Like a child, caught in the act of stealing," he takes a step towards me and Gale immediately pushes me behind him like a shield.

"Stay back, let us explain!" Gale warns.

Umbra doesn't look scared or amused in the slightest. Instead he sighs, "Katniss explained enough when she shot that girl today, she seemed pretty eager to move another tribute off the board. Shows intent."

My heart flips, but no longer in fear. How could Umbra honestly say that I killed that girl out of 'eagerness'? That was no easy decision, and it's been on my mind all day!

"Shows intent? You think I wanted to kill that girl?" I shout, startling Gale and causing him to flinch out of the way. I can see by the flicker in their eyes that it also surprises Umbra and Lucerna.

My jaw clenches as I continue, "I killed her because Cato was torturing her, and it was all I could do to stop you from killing yourself! Raechill was my friend too, you ungrateful jerk!"

Everybody is dead silent and frozen, eyes on me.

I wheel around and storm through the sloshy inches of snow, melting away a path back into the forest. Gale follows after me, but I keep a good pace so I can stay ahead of him, hiding my face. I don't need him to see the hurt.

So I keep walking, passing trees and scraggly bushes as I go, not paying attention to my surroundings. All I focus on is myself, and what I should do.

My anger tells me to keep walking until I run into Cato, let him stab me and end this nightmare. Unfortunately, the reasoning side of me knows that wouldn't solve anything, and it would be a waste of all this time I spent here.

"Katniss, wait," Gale calls behind me.

I ignore him too, not even Gale can help me right now. Some walks you just have to take alone. But he eventually catches up and stands in front of me. I stare at his chest and breathe heavily from the trudge, my jaw still tight, eye twitching, and body still emitting heat waves.

"Alright, you know he didn't mean what he said," Gale begins.

My eyes lock onto his, "You're taking _his_ side?"

"I'm not taking sides, but just look at it from their perspective. What if we got a tape recorder with his voice on it, plotting to kill us?" Gale points out.

Oh Gale, he's always looking at the situation from every angle. Sometimes I'd rather he just let it go, let me stay angry until I work it all out of my system. All that his explaining does is make me feel sad again, although it's unintentional.

"Hey, I know it was bad," his voice turns soothing, "but we all know you were doing it to help," he pulls me into a very much needed embrace, rubbing my back. "That was so brave of you, and it was the right thing to do…"

I hug him as tightly as I can, because that was exactly what I needed to hear. While it doesn't alleviate all of the pain, it definitely helps.

We hug for the longest time, before I eventually break loose and he rubs my arms.

"Come on, let's head back," he smiles.

* * *

**Umbra** stands awkwardly beside Lucerna as we return. She gives him a little elbow and he glances back at her before returning his gaze back to us.

He rubs his neck, "Ms. Everdeen, Mr. Hawthorne-"

I walk right up to him and give him a shove, "Don't say you're sorry, just go fetch some squirrels."

His eyes light up and he nods, looking back to Gale who smirks.

We check our District 12 bags, locating fresh clothing, medicine, poison, thermal-vision goggles and a tracking device…all clearly to be used on Umbra. Unfortunately for the Gamemakers, we share the clothing, Lucerna applies the medicine to my shoulder, and we give the goggles to Umbra for hunting. That should tick them off.

The sun is dropping low again, with the sky turning a shade darker and the temperature plummeting.

Only one death today, and it seems the alliance is staying strong. Which makes me more nervous, considering the Gamemakers aren't going to be satisfied with the outcome of their feast, who knows what could happen?

They need blood and deaths, something this entire arena has lacked. Even the bloodbath at the cornucopia seemed to be pretty weak, and the days following have been so slow that they only average about 1 death per day.

This isn't the first time the games have gone dull, and I can attest to saying they won't disappoint the crowds. Once they reach a certain point, which seems inevitably closer every passing minute, they pull out all the stops.

Sometimes they'll release mutts into the arena, which are genetically engineered bio-weapons. They're always different, but always just as deadly. My greatest fear right now is that they may have them enter quite soon.

Now I'm beginning to worry about Umbra, and whether I should've sent him on the squirrel run. It's been awhile now, he should've been back…

Lucerna and Gale seem oblivious to the upcoming events, or perhaps I'm just overreacting. Regardless, we're all relieved when Umbra reappears from the forest carrying a group of four squirrels.

"One for each of us," he tosses one at all of our feet, handing each of us sticks to roast them on. They're already skinned down and cleaned out, their scent rising towards the sky in a cloud of delicious smoke.

The anthem starts up, seal displays, and shows the face of the girl I shot today, officially moving her off the playing board. She's all for tonight, and the anthem finishes. It's so routine now we barely pay any attention to it.

We sit in silence, roasting them as the sky becomes increasingly darker. Am I really the only one taking notice to the increasing aura of a nightmare like atmosphere?

A high-pitched yelp in the middle of the forest is enough to grab everybody's attention, and I'm relieved and frightened at the same time.

We all hold our squirrels in mid bite, listening for another sound.

"What was that?" Gale is the first to ask.

Umbra gently sets down his squirrel, "Whatever it is, we're killing it," he stands up and scans the area, tossing me the thermal-goggles.

I slip them on, scanning the area. The snow turns black and the trees take on a dark-blue color. As I slowly turn my head from the left to right, a few animals such as squirrels and rabbits appear as orange and red blotches, jumping around and darting for cover.

The fire is blinding, so I skip over it, landing on a bush just past Lucerna. A small orange light bounces up and down…I just watch it dancing, until I realize it's slowly growing larger and larger and it becomes clear that the light is charging straight for me.

"Look out!" I shout just a second too late as the light leaps from the bush and rams straight into me, sending the glasses flying. My eyes are trying to adjust to the quick change of lighting, causing me to scramble blindly for my bow.

My vision comes back just in time to see the light's true form. A mutt, clearly, resembling a large dog, with incredibly long claws and fangs. It stands twice the height of a normal canine, and three times as vicious.

It lunges at me a second time, but Gale intercepts it with a spear, jamming it through its neck and penetrating out the other side. Blood splatters across the snow and pours out of the hole as Gale retracts the weapon.

The mutt falls to the ground and whimpers, the life draining from it until there's none left. Immediately following, another group of high-pitched howls come from deeper in the forest.

"We need to split-up, Gale with Lucerna," Umbra orders.

He couldn't be more obvious in his hint…

"Do you mean…"Gale starts, and Umbra cuts him off with a sharp nod. Gale turns back to me, scooping up the glasses and pulling me up onto my feet. He straps a District 12 bag on my back and hands me my bow. "You'll be okay, you can do this," he kisses my forehead and hugs me.

"I'll be fine, just promise me you'll make it," I beg, touching his cheek. He kisses me again, this time right on my lips. And I don't pull away, instead I push myself closer and feel myself grow hungry for more.

But the mutts howl again, and we both gasp.

"Be careful," he kisses my cheek and Lucerna pulls him away. Umbra and I watch as they run off across the meadow. My heart pounds for them both, praying they'll be alright. My mind is cloudy, I never expected to kiss Gale that way or for this to happen so fast…Gale is gone, Lucerna is gone, it's just Umbra and me now.

Umbra yanks the sword on his side from its sheath, spinning it around and flipping it around his wrist, "I sure do hope you run fast."

I notch an arrow onto the bowstring, noting my supply is low, "Faster than you, I'll lead."

As the mutt's yelps grow nearer, we take off into the forest, diagonal to the noise. My blood is pumping now, the adrenaline flowing once again. This constant fear and rush of energy really explains how people never seem to recover from the Games.

We just keep running and running, the lactic acid building up in my thighs and slowing me down. There is nothing more difficult to run through than snow, especially at a speed such as ours. But we keep going, stumbling but pressing forward.

I'm ducking a low branch when suddenly a mutt jumps out of nowhere and slams me onto the ground. My body is still in full panic, and I begin to kick away, backpedalling to create distance as the mutt regains its posture.

When it does, its eyes lock right onto mine…the eyes so familiar…the light, playful tone. Raechill!

The mutt launches itself at me, and I get my feet up just in time to block the bite. It clamps down on my ankle, taking a firm hold and thrashing its head back and forth.

I scream in pain as I try to get my foot free. Umbra finally catches up, his sword flashing by and tearing a huge gash in the mutt's neck. It plops over but its teeth stay embedded in my skin.

Umbra pries the jaws open and pulls me onto my feet. I take one step and cringe in pain, blood squirting out of my ankle.

"Come on!" Umbra says impatiently.

I shake my head, "I can't, it hurts too bad!"

"Oh?" Umbra cocks his head to the side, "Do you think a bite on the ankle hurts? Well, how about when one rips out your throat-"

"I _can't_ move!" I cry in panic.

Umbra shakes his head and walks over, scooping me up in his arms and proceeding to run away from the dead mutt.

"What the hell? We can't outrun them!" I protest.

Umbra keeps going, "What do you propose we do? Sit there and wait?"

"You can't exactly fight them carrying me!" I argue.

"Then shoot the damn things with your bow!" he growls.

Is he for real? I'm about to call him crazy, but a mutt jumps onto our trail and begins closing the gap. I have to try…but before I can, a cannon booms…followed by another a few seconds later.

* * *

**A/N:  
**

**This chapter, as well as many of the more recent ones, was been rushed so bad it shouldn't have even been released. This chapter is also littered with errors and I'm sorry for that but by this point I'm just trying to keep on schedule. Hope you can enjoy it anyway, just get the main idea of what is happening.  
**

**Again, I apologize, but I just don't have the time to put into this story anymore...  
**

Please vote! Voting has more influence on these chapters than you could imagine, and they make a HUGE difference in the outcome of the story. Thanks to any potential voters! Leave a note or PM and maybe I'll make a list of who voted in the A/N.**  
**

* * *

**A/N: Most of this was written listening to (Hunger Games Soundtrack OST): **YouTube - watch?v=RFAUzAtSz0w&list=PL7E32C4A2DFE84544&index=5&feature=plpp_video

**Thanks for reading!**

**To all the people who are reading, reviewing, subscribing, etc. I sincerely thank you! All of it is much appreciated, and I hope you all continue to enjoy this story as much as I enjoy writing it!**

* * *

**Chapter 23 coming soon! Est: (On or Before) 10/21/12**

* * *

**Please take the time to Review/Comment/Subscribe/PM or Email me with questions or ideas!**

_**- Legkicker**_


	23. Chapter 23: Hanging Out

**Bows and Snares**

**By: Legkicker  
**

**Chapter 23:** Hanging Out**  
**

**Bouncing** up and down from the turbulence, I try to get my bow into an acceptable position for taking a shot. It's no easy task though, considering I'm in Umbra's arms and leaning around his shoulder. The mutt bears down on us, this one nearly twice the size of the one that tackled me. It barks and snarls, growling and threatening to tear us into pieces.

"Katniss, stop admiring it and shoot the damn thing!" Umbra shouts.

I nearly lose the arrow I'm notching to the string, "I can't, you're in the way and it's too hard to-"

"You _can!_" he interrupts me, "Shoot through me if you have to!"

There's no real use in arguing, or time to protest. My body tenses up and I clutch down on the string, pulling it back and staring awkwardly to aim. I try to compensate for the up and down motion, moving my arm along with the bounce and staying locked on the mutt's face.

It looks prepared to leap for us, when my arrow flies and connects only a few inches off from my mark – hitting it in the spine and effectively disabling it.

My jaw drops and I laugh in disbelief, "Umbra, I got him!"

But there's no time to celebrate, as an invisible force stops us in our tracks. One second we're running, and the next we've lost our momentum, completely spinning around.

I have no idea what's occurring as Umbra's feet are swept out from underneath him, and we're suddenly being yanked up in the air. It's not until a few seconds into this event that I notice the rope attached to his foot, hoisting him upside down suspended with the weight of a log connected to the other end.

He still has me in his arms for a moment before gravity takes over and I'm rolling away. I gasp, feeling my stomach do flip-flops as I begin falling. My entire body feels weightless, and it's as if time slows to a stop. I look down, watching as the ground comes closer.

But he catches my hand just in time before I fall out of reach. My fingers nearly slip from his, but he clamps down hard and holds on for dear life.

"Hold on!" he coughs, "I've got you!"

I look up at him, my right hand in his, my left hand still clutching the bow. My gaze drops down to my boots, dangling helplessly over an empty drop of almost 40 feet. Snow and dead leaves flutter down past me, floating in an endless spiral towards the ground. I stare at our footprints in the snow below, which are so far down and it's so dark out that they are unrecognizable. Umbra adjusts his grip on my hand and I look back up at him. The fear must register on my face.

"You're alright, don't look down, I'll get us out of this," he assures me, before frantically looking at the contraption that holds him up.

How could this thing have been constructed? Who did it? I'm still confused as to what just happened. It was obviously a trap, designed to capture a tribute with a snare around their ankle and pull them up into the air…but it happened so quickly. And Umbra, thank God he reacted so fast, or I would've just fallen and most likely been fatally injured. But, that threat still poses a chance in becoming a reality.

The darkness brought on by the Gamemakers must've concealed the tripwire...which is also making this entire situation that much more fearsome.

"It's alright, I'm not afraid of heights," I lie, and no sooner are the words out of my mouth do two more mutts run out of the bushes and stand below us. They jump up and down, snapping their jaws and trying to reach us.

"I believe we're in a bit of trouble Ms. Everdeen, to be quite honest," Umbra says calmly, "And I don't suppose you have any extra rope?" he looks down at me hopefully while we sway back and forth.

I just glare at him.

"Right, no matter, uh," he stares at the noose around his ankle and mutters, "a ladder would be nice."

I feel the weight of my body begin growing heavier and I whimper, "Umbra, please!"

I don't want Gale to lose me already, I promised him I would make it out of this arena.

He looks back at me, "You're fine Katniss, I'm not letting you fall…just give me a moment to figure this out."

I watch him scan the entire trap. His eyes follow the rope up around the branch and down the other side to the log which suspends us. He glances over at the tree to which the branch is connected, a good 10 feet away and just out of reach. The whole time I can feel the panic rising with each bark from the mutts.

His eyes light up, "I could easily remove the pests below us…"

"How?" I ask.

He twirls us around and my stomach flips again, "Well, you see…Lucerna rather enjoys blowing things up, and she gave me a going away present…the problem is obtaining it from my backpack."

I inspect the situation, noting that the backpack is within reach but I wouldn't dare trying to zip it open and grab whatever he's hinting towards. By now, we've already been hanging for a few minutes, and my arm is on fire.

"Or, if you're looking for something more intense, I could cut the rope and we hope for the best," he offers.

At first I look at him likes he's insane…it's too far of a drop, and right into the jaws of two hungry mutts. But what choice do we really have right now?

"We'd die, if not from the fall then the mutts, you have to think of something better!" I press on.

He sighs, "Katniss, it's a trap for a reason, there's no real answer. Luckily, the flaw lies with two things: gravity and momentum…start swinging your legs towards the other side of the rope," he points to the end attached to the log. It's a far swing, underneath the branch we're wrapped around.

I look up at him with hope in my eyes that he's joking, but he just waits for me to make my move.

"Look," he points to the tree trunk where a second branch comes close enough to the other end of the rope. "You can climb down."

I study it for a moment, and make my decision. I start moving, starting out slowly and thrashing my hips and legs back and forth to get us swinging. The mutts love the movement, jumping at us with excitement.

Gradually, the arc of our swing becomes longer and longer, and the rope begins twisting and every time we shift a little I draw in a sharp gasp.

"You're doing great Katniss, a few more swings, stay strong," Umbra encourages me. But a sudden drop in the length of the rope stops my heart and grabs my attention. I look up at the part that loops around the branch to see the fibers splitting and the threads coming apart.

Umbra notices too, "Oh, yeah this rope is only made to support the weight of one tribute, so…"

Now I'm really moving, kicking my legs to get the maximum movement possible. We're almost within an arm's reach of the other end, but the threads are slowly unwinding more and more.

"Just one more swing," he says, his free hand outstretched with his fingers groping for a hold. I put everything I have into one last lunge, and it's enough that he gets a grip on it. I'm happy we're no longer swaying, and the mutts show their disapproval by barking louder.

He lets out a sigh of relief, "Not too bad Ms. Everdeen, now grab on."

We're held in place as he keeps a firm clutch on the rope and my other hand. I look at my bow, and back up at him.

"Oh for crying out loud Katniss, think for once, use your teeth!" he growls. I can feel the sweat beginning to soak through his gloves, he's probably getting sick of hold me up. That, combined with the fact that the blood is probably pooling in his head right now due to his inverted state.

I bite down on the bow, the metal cracking off my teeth. I ignore it and grab onto the rope, still hesitant to let go of Umbra's hand.

He nods reassuringly, "Don't worry, you'll be safe. And if you go down, I'm right behind you."

Oh man, I owe Umbra big time after this fiasco is over. I gingerly release his hand, quickly snapping onto the other rope. My palms are stinging and my fingers are numb, but I manage to keep a hold. I work my way from the rope to the tree, finding the second branch to stand on.

Once I'm finally off the rope and safely standing on the branch with my arms wrapped around the tree trunk, I look up at Umbra who smiles back…but his expression turns to fear as the rope jerks again and the fibers begin snapping.

He looks back at me one last time and everything is quiet, the mutts no longer barking but licking their lips in anticipation.

"This is going to be painful…" he states. The rope snaps, giving way, and he's flying headfirst towards the hard ground and hungry mutts.

"No!" I scream, and watch in horror as he plummets downwards. It's such a far fall, my heart is stopped and my breath is frozen.

There's nothing I can do but watch as he crash lands straight onto one of the mutts, crushing it underneath him. My skin crawls as the sound of bones breaking pop.

Fortunately, the mutt transferred some of the impact, and I hope it was its bones breaking...

Regardless, Umbra doesn't squirm or move after landing, he just remains planted on top of the dead mutt, its spine or neck surely broken. As Umbra's may very well be too…

His sudden drop also scared the second mutt into a submissive stance, and it just stands by, slowly circling the bodies.

My arms and legs are trembling, and my heart is in my throat, "U-Umbra?"

The second mutt wastes no more time fearing the unknown, and takes a hold of Umbra's left arm. It begins thrashing its head back and forth, much like the one did to my ankle, tearing his jacket and splashing blood out across the white snow. Umbra doesn't react.

"Get away from him!" I shout.

I force myself into action, crawling down the tree as fast as I can and getting my feet back onto the ground.

The mutt growls at me, but waits long enough for me to send an arrow into its neck and kill it on the spot. It plops over in the snow and stops breathing.

I ignore the pain in my ankle and rush over to Umbra's side, dropping to my knees. It's then that the tears begin running down my cheeks and I'm losing my mind.

Not Umbra, not now! He can't die, he doesn't deserve this fate! He needs to go home, he needs to be with Lucerna back in District 10!

It's no longer about keeping him alive to benefit myself, it's about keeping a friend. And right now that friend is lying lifelessly in the snow atop a Capitol mutt.

"Please don't die, please don't die!" I beg, taking his bloody arm. Every second that ticks by I wait for the cannon, praying it doesn't sound. Why does it have to be Umbra always suffering?

The mutt bit in pretty deep, blood spurting out and soaking his sleeve.

I don't know what to do, I need Gale - I need Lucerna here right now! Even my mother, she'd know exactly what to do in this situation…I need help, and I almost start screaming for it, and I would if I didn't fear the mutts or other tributes could hear. So I just beg, pleading that Umbra will be okay.

My head falls onto his chest and I weep, "I'm so sorry, this is all my fault, I took advantage of you! I don't want to lose you, please Umbra! You have to live!"

_Crying won't save him Katniss!_

I decide to try fixing up his arm, it's the least I can do. I wiggle the District 12 sack off my shoulders and pull it open, retrieving the medicine inside. I unscrew the lid, dip my fingers in, and take his arm with a shaking hand.

I'm about to dab the gel on, when he grunts and his right hand locks onto my wrist, making me jump. I'm in shock as he shifts his body, his eyes opening up and staring back into mine.

"Oh my God!" I immediately embrace him, hugging him around the shoulders and letting the relief wash over me. He groans in pain and I let him go.

The first words out of his mouth, "Are you okay?"

"Me?" I ask astonished, laughing nervously, "I'm fine, you're the one who just fell 40 feet and crushed this mutt."

He slowly sits up, his back cracking a few times in the process, and looks down at the mutt he sits on. He stares at it as if he doesn't remember anything that just happened.

"Oh, so I did, explains the pain in my back," he looks up at the branch which the rope still hangs from, "Wow, that far? Thank God I landed on this soft, comfortably mutt, probably transferred most of that energy…"

I nod with a smile, which turns into a frown, "I thought you were dead…"

"Not yet…" he shakes his head, and then notices what I really meant, "Aw, how nice of you to express some sympathy for your old pal," he coos. I can't help but smile, it is in fact the first time I've probably shown so much worry for him.

I throw some snow on him and he just laughs. There's no more barking coming from the forest, and I believe the remaining mutts are all terminated. The sky grows a little brighter, but the sun is already hidden behind the mountain range and only offers a little lighting.

"Seriously though, thanks, I owe you…again," I say nonchalantly.

He nods, "Well Ms. Everdeen, I believe we'll be co-workers for quite some time, we can save our gratitude for more appropriate times, perhaps when this is all over and done with?"

"Sounds good, I say we go find Gale and Lucerna," I suggest. Although I know we won't be seeing them for a long time to come. The two cannons that sounded off earlier had to be them, they're probably already down the river and onto the land again. "And seriously, I'm glad you're okay."

He pats my knee, "You and me both, but we're not out of the woods yet."

* * *

**A/N:  
**

**I finally had some decent time to write, and I got this chapter out pretty early considering the past few updates! As always, I hope you all enjoy it, and thanks to the reviews on the last chapter! That was really nice of you guys to let me know it wasn't a bad chapter after all, and I love hearing your thoughts...so big thanks to all who reviewed the last chapter!  
**

Thanks for voting guys, a sequel is almost a certainty now but there are still many obstacles for me to work around! I'll go back to posting normal polls, so feel free to keep helping out! 

* * *

**A/N: Most of this was written listening to (Hunger Games Soundtrack OST): **YouTube - watch?v=RFAUzAtSz0w&list=PL7E32C4A2DFE84544&index=5&feature=plpp_video

**Thanks for reading!**

**To all the people who are reading, reviewing, subscribing, etc. I sincerely thank you! All of it is much appreciated, and I hope you all continue to enjoy this story as much as I enjoy writing it!**

* * *

**Chapter 24 coming soon! Est: (On or Before) 10/28/12**

* * *

**Please take the time to Review/Comment/Subscribe/PM or Email me with questions or ideas!**

_**- Legkicker**_


	24. Chapter 24: Acting Lessons

**Bows and Snares**

**By: Legkicker  
**

**Chapter 24:** Acting Lessons**  
**

**Every** muscle in my body aches as we walk back to the meadow, my arm around Umbra's shoulder as he helps me limp along. He can't offer too much physical support though, considering his entire back feels quote 'like a pane of broken glass"…which is understandable.

But for me, my thighs have stabbing, sharp pains in them from the quick acceleration and burst of running we endured, along with my arm in which Umbra held me up by, and finally my ankle which leaks blood with each step.

"Who do you think built that trap? Cato?" I ask quietly.

Umbra stares at the ground, "Possibly, he's the only one aside from Thresh able to move a log that big to suspend us…but the trap design itself would require more thinking than he could process."

I laugh inside at the comment, because Cato really is just a stupid bully. Without all his brawn he's nothing but a useless and helpless tribute.

The sun has finally ducked away completely after supplying us with a limited time of dim lighting. And the temperature has dropped too, more noticeably than any other night before it.

Umbra leans close to my ear and whispers, "I believe they're trying to freeze the river…probably in hopes of preserving the 'bodies' and ensuring nobody else finds them."

I nod in agreement. That's something that would've never crossed my mind, but would always fail to slip passed Umbra. Oh well, the Gamemakers don't know we planned this, they still believe we intend to see them back at the tent.

I'm a bit nervous as to whether or not my acting will persuade them. I think I'll just cry a lot, and breakdown to falling on my knees while relying on Umbra to make a better statement for the crowds.

We finally reach the stick tent, every time I see it I picture that Raechill is cuddling inside…safe as can be while rubbing the warm gloves on her cheeks. My heart aches.

"They aren't back yet…" Umbra says, his voice steady and believable.

He looks at me and all I manage is, "That's odd…"

There's no time to brace myself for what occurs next. A second later it happens, the seal appears and the anthem plays. I hold my breath…what if it wasn't Gale and Lucerna that caused the cannons?

My answer comes when they flash Lucerna's face, District 10 written below her. She's beautiful, more so than I imagined. I never saw her much aside from the interview, where every girl was pretty, but here she is natural…breathtaking. Her eyes are so playful, so inviting, so happy, so much so that I can't believe she cries.

I quickly remember to put on my shocked face, and cup a hand over my mouth. I even go as far to start trembling and letting my knees wobble a bit. Umbra freezes like a statue.

When she's finished, they show Gale, who needs no description. I breathe a bit easier knowing they were the cannons, but not much because I have to keep up my performance. I try to scream, but all I manage is a cracked squeak, and I try to bring tears to my eyes.

It's hard at first, but I quickly find a way…I picture home, with Prim and Gale, waking up every morning to go hunting. Coming back to go to schooling, with Madge, returning back home again to a pot of squirrel stew…I picture Raechill, us snuggling for warmth in the tent, telling each other everything will be okay…watching Clove take her life.

Now the tears are flowing so hard I can't help but sound like a dying animal.

Umbra puts on a great show too, clenching his fists and turning into his superior form of kicking the fire and throwing rocks the size of my head clear into the forest. He settles down to comfort me, noticing the tears are real.

I bury my face into his chest and cry while he rubs my back, "Katniss…I'm so sorry…I don't know what to say."

There really wouldn't be anything to say to comfort me in Gale's passing, which would be something I'd never fully recover from.

Umbra whispers, just loud enough for the cameras to hear, "He did this for you…he wanted you to go home and he's giving you that chance, don't throw it away."

Then he lowers his voice and talks to me only, "Are you okay? They're fine, I promise you."

I nod sadly while soaking his shirt with my tears.

He sighs, "Lucerna…Gale…_vos__merui__requies tua__, somno iam_."

It fits that Umbra wouldn't cry for Lucerna's death as much as I do for Gale. Lucerna would probably slap him silly if she found out.

"What-" I sniffle, "Does that mean?"

He rubs my shoulders, "The actual translation would be lost in time, but I believe it's along the lines of 'You have earned your rest, sleep now'. Which is what you should do, you've had a long day and I think it would be for the best."

"I can't, I can't do anything and I can't sleep," I pout, trying to collapse to the ground. Umbra holds me up.

He squeezes my shoulders and stares into my eyes, "Katniss, you have to focus on getting out of this arena alive, don't make him die in vain. Please, there will be time to express your sympathy later. Just try to sleep?"

I nod, "You too, you need to sleep."

His eyes smile, we both know he doesn't sleep. "No, I have a lot to think about and a lot of planning. Come on."

We stoke the fire and make it roar high into the night sky, considering there are only two tributes left aside from us we don't care much to conceal it. Umbra goes into the tent and flips all the leaves over to the non-crunchy side, making it cozy inside. He lays out the sleeping bag and then takes my District 12 bag.

"There are fresh clothes in here, you can change in the tent," he says. Nothing could really feel better right now than a fresh set of clothes. The ones I sport right now are grimy and caked with dirt, mud, and blood.

So I scurry inside and happily adorn the fresh attire, but I still let tears slip out to show my sorrow. As I'm carefully slipping on the new socks, the sweet scent of roasting meat hits me and I crawl partway back out, frowning to show my depression.

"Hey," I mumble, watching Umbra turn a rabbit in the flames.

He's also in his new set of clothing, his arm no longer exposed and bloody. The Gamemakers seemed to have really helped him out this time, his hood conformed perfectly and his person darker than ever.

He takes a seat beside me in the mushy snow, plucking a twig from my hair, "Rabbit tonight…Lucerna never really approved of me killing animals for food, which is why she always suggested berries."

That's a true statement, not just a ploy. It makes me smile inside, I can picture Lucerna giving him a hard time for that. We sit, staring at the flames while the rabbits cook.

Umbra laughs eventually, a small chuckle, "When…we met, Lucerna was so…timid. She had me thinking we'd never be friends because she was so shy," his eyes smile and he draws with a stick in the snow. He tosses the stick into the fire, "It wasn't until I told her how much I cared about her that she decided to start opening up to me…she just wanted to stop all this before it got out of hand."

Lucerna was pretty shy when we first met too, she gave off a whole other personality. I thought she'd be quiet, peaceful, but she's actually a lot like Raechill in some ways…and Umbra in others. But as I observed before, she changes with her emotions.

"What did she want to stop?" I ask.

He stares at the flames, and I can see him recalling the past. "I got hurt one day, pretty badly…she said she wanted me to stop trying to save people, that I had helped enough," I can see a tear shimmering in his eyes, reflecting the fire in front of us. "She always said, 'Can't you stop being a hero for one second and just try being a friend?'"

A wind blows across the meadow and the cold temperature nips at any available skin.

"Guess I should've listened to her," Umbra ponders.

I want to say something, I have to say something. "You're one of the best friends…one of the only friends…I ever had, next to Gale. Lucerna just cared for your safety, and I do too. Friendship is a two way street and you don't realize sometimes how much people care about you…"

My words touch him, and I'm happy to see I could offer some help in this situation. "Thanks Katniss, that means a lot, more than I can explain…how did you and Gale meet?"

I can picture the scene like it happened yesterday…and I wish it had. But I can't come to express in words how it all happened. Meeting him in the forest, being so shy at first, it was something I could never hope for again.

I shake my head, "I'll tell you some other time…when we get out of this mess."

He takes the rabbit from the fire and cuts it into strips, and we proceed to munch down on it. I believe we're both satisfied with our display of affection for our lost loved ones. Hopefully, so are the crowds we're displaying it to.

When we've finished the rabbit and thrown the remains into the fire, Umbra brushes his hands off and beckons to me, "Let me see your ankle."

I cringe as I slowly lay my foot across his lap. I reluctantly take a look for myself as he slowly removes my sock. It's a nasty sight, with blood and puss covering the open wound.

He holds my leg in place as he retrieves the medicine from his District 10 sack.

"Alright, this should have it fixed up in no time. It's going to be cold going on, ready?" he waits for me to nod before dabbing a healthy amount onto the cut. I cringe at first, but the medicine immediately takes affect and lessens the pain.

He holds my foot for a few seconds longer before patting my shin and standing up. "Alright, I'll take first watch," he says.

I bite my lip, I don't like the idea of him staying out alone. Not without a group of three people to back him up if something happens.

"Is that necessary? I think we'll be fine," I try.

He doesn't go for it, "Better safe than sorry, I'll be alright, I'll wake you up if anything happens."

I give up and get myself situated into the sleeping bag, its warmth very much appreciated. My mind is swimming still, but the sore muscles and long day take over and I quickly drift off.

* * *

**My** eyes open to the dark inside of the tent, a small portion of firelight flickering against the walls. I rub my eyes and look out the front of the tent, shocked when I see the blizzard of snow concealing the tiny fire.

I crawl out to see Umbra, sitting against the Oak tree, barely visible with the snow amounting on his figure.

"Umbra, you'll freeze to death!" I shout over the howling winds.

He stands up, the snow falling off his body as he walks over without turning a cheek from the winds. It's as if he's already made of ice.

He kneels down in front of me, "Sorry, I couldn't hear you, is something wrong?"

"You-will-freeze-to-death!" I shout in his ear. He brushes some snow off his hood and shrugs his shoulders. I grab his jacket and pull him into the tent, rescuing him from the rushing winds and subzero temperatures.

He looks around inside, "Right, now we're in a great position for fending off attackers."

"Nobody is attacking in this weather, just go to sleep," I say stubbornly. I slip back under the slipping bag and roll over, sighing and enjoying the peace. Then I get a strange feeling. I look back at Umbra who sits in the corner of the tent, staring back at me.

"Are you serious?" I ask in disbelief.

He shrugs again, "I'd find it quite awkward to share the sleeping bag."

"Well it's even more awkward that you're staring at me," I point out. He gives up on the personal space issue and lies beside me, sighing. His body mass is already twice mine, so the warmth our bodies provide is wonderful. We lie in silence as we warm up, until eventually he breaks the quietness between us.

"I hope they're alright," he says.

I gasp, whispering in his ear, "Keep it down!"

"Oh give it a rest, they can't hear us in here, especially with that wind," he explains. "But seriously, they were in the water…they can't make a fire to keep themselves warm without giving away their position…"

He's right, Lucerna and Gale are probably freezing to death right now. And there's nothing we can do about it. I'm actually a bit surprised Umbra isn't hiding that from me right now, he doesn't normally let me worry. But, that thought was probably on his mind the entire time he was out in the freezing snow.

"They're smart Umbra, they can manage…but what about us? What do we do now?" I ask trying to get our minds off them.

He shifts uncomfortably, "I suppose we go kill the remainder, and send you home."

Now I see why he was uncomfortable, he's trying to avoid the inevitable topic of his escape. He still plans on sacrifice.

"Get it out of your head that I'm letting you die for me. I'll cut my own throat if you try to pull that," I growl, rolling on my side to face him. His head turns to me and we lock eyes, an intense stare-down that I'd usually lose. But, this is different, this is one stare-down that I have to win.

He narrows his eyes in defeat, "Ms. Everdeen…mind you Lucerna devises the escapes."

"Really?" I call his bluff, "Then I'll have to kill myself after all."

He snatches my hand as I reach for a knife, "Oh please…you wouldn't dare…"

"Stop being so stubborn!" my voice cracks, I give up on anger and try to plead, "You know how horrible you're making me feel right now?"

Perfect choice of words, he cracks almost instantly. His grip on my wrist loosens and he finds my hand instead, his eyes no longer staring daggers but turning soft.

He stares for the longest time, "Fine…I'm working on it, I promise you I'll have a plan before it gets down to the two of us."

* * *

**A/N:  
**

**Again, another rushed chapter. I had it written with decent time, but only proofread 1 time! Normally I read it over at least 3 times. Regardless, I found it good enough, as I hope you all do!  
**

Vote in the polls on my profile please!

* * *

**A/N: Most of this was written listening to (Hunger Games Soundtrack OST): **YouTube - watch?v=RFAUzAtSz0w&list=PL7E32C4A2DFE84544&index=5&feature=plpp_video

**Thanks for reading!**

**To all the people who are reading, reviewing, subscribing, etc. I sincerely thank you! All of it is much appreciated, and I hope you all continue to enjoy this story as much as I enjoy writing it!**

* * *

**Chapter 25 coming soon! Est: (On or Before) 1/4/12**

* * *

**Please take the time to Review/Comment/Subscribe/PM or Email me with questions or ideas!**

_**- Legkicker**_


	25. Chapter 25: Danger in Disguise

**Bows and Snares**

**By: Legkicker  
**

**Chapter 25:** Danger in Disguise**  
**

**Night** seems to drag on forever, and when I open my eyes again it's still dark. Umbra tells me it's because they want to keep the temperature as low as possible, that the night could last hours and hours until they freeze that river.

But it's been a long time now, and I find myself dancing in the sleeping bag, "I'll be right back," I say to Umbra who stares at the ceiling of the tent.

He looks at me, "I'm coming with you."

"No, I just have to pee, try to stop worrying so much?" I advise. He lets his head fall back down and proceeds to stare at the ceiling while I bundle up and exit the tent. The winds hit me immediately, and I quickly find myself missing the warmth inside.

Snow blows sideways into my face, and I have to put up my hood and pull it tight to try and see where I'm going. I don't trek far, just a ways away from the campsite and behind a tree. I quickly go about relieving myself, trying to hide from the bitter cold.

I sigh when I'm finished, my breath turning to fog and dissipating in the wind. When I open my eyes, a glint catches my attention. Something lies in the forest, only a few feet away but concealed by all the snow flurries.

Shielding my vision with my arm, I start to approach it, stopping myself halfway. This is a bad idea, I should get Umbra…no, that's stupid. It's probably just a knife or something we dropped. I'm not going to walk away from it, it's just a few feet.

And I tell _him_ to stop worrying.

But as I'm about to approach it, a very faint snap sound grabs my attention. In my mind I believe it's a stick or branch cracking, but I can't be for sure considering it was so quiet. Regardless, the sound is enough to turn me around and send me running back into the tent.

My ankle stings from the acceleration and my sore muscles whine. I burrow into the sleeping bag at full speed and freeze. I don't move an inch or breathe.

"What is it? What happened?" Umbra immediately wants to know. He digs around and pulls the covers off of my face and I look up at him.

I try to play it off, "Nothing, it's just really cold out there."

He shakes his head and pulls the covers back up to my chin, "Well, settle down, or the whole tent will collapse."

My heart is still racing long after he lays back and continues staring into space. I'm confused as to why, considering the sound is still a mystery. What could have set my senses onto such high alert like that though? Aside from something or somebody breaking a stick.

I just roll over onto my side and try not to think of the object in the snow, or the crack of the…whatever it was. Eventually, I find myself falling back asleep.

* * *

_**Cold** winds blow across the forest relentlessly, freezing my skin and numbing my body. I know he's out here, I know he needs me. The river guides me across the dips and hills, taking me past a waterfall where I'm sure he will be._

_The sky is turning dark, with the late evening sun covered by thin layers of dark-grey clouds. Snow flurries continue to fall all around me._

_Eventually I come across his footprints, leading me through the woods. Bushes and trees zip past as I sprint along the trail._

_When I finally find him, I nearly collide with him and topple over onto the ground. He's in a rough state, his skin pale and light, shivering viciously and trembling uncontrollably. I quickly stoop down to his side, removing my jacket and wrapping it around him._

"_Katniss, y-y-you shouldn't have come here…" he manages to say. He stumbles over each word, his tongue struggling to keep up with his clattering teeth._

_I ignore him and begin trying to make a fire. It's useless, the wood is all too dampened and frozen. He needs warmth though, and I resort to lying across his body and hugging him tight._

"_I shouldn't have let you go, it's my fault," I whisper into his ear. I look back into his eyes, noticing not only the pain he is enduring from the cold, but the hurt he registers from what I'm saying._

_He tucks his hands under my arms and I squeeze down. The coldness in his fingers manages to overcome the warmth my body emits and he barely begins to warm up._

"_No, it was my call. And you're here now, you came for me," he pulls me closer to him and kisses me. His lips are cold and frozen…they feel like tree-bark._

* * *

**My** lips brush against something sharp and my eyes shoot open. I startle myself, finding that everything was just a dream and I'm actually still in the tent with Umbra. My lips are pressed up against the side of the stick-wall, a twig poking my cheek.

I flinch away, my mind swimming. What just happened? Was I just kissing the wall?

"Uh, I was going to wake you up, but…" Umbra starts, and I turn to face him. His eyes slowly grin at me, "Well, I didn't think the wall would appreciate me interrupting the intimacy."

My cheeks flush red and I'm so embarrassed. I don't even know why, because it's Umbra and I don't really care.

"Shut-up, I wasn't kissing the wall!" I shove him and flip back over, pouting, "I was just…I thought I saw something on it."

He laughs, "Sure, we'll go with that."

Stupid Umbra. He lets the situation dissolve and I find myself alone with my thoughts again. All I can think about is the dream. Gale…what if that dream was trying to tell me something? What if Gale really does need me right now?

Could he be freezing to death as I lay here in the tent? I can't handle all the thoughts on my own, and I turn back to Umbra.

"Hey…I had a dream," I begin. He turns to me with a look of amusement and waits for me to continue, "It was about Gale and Lucerna…they were freezing to death."

He digests the information and slips his hands behind his head, leaning back and staring up. "Alright, but that doesn't mean it's really happening."

My eyes fall to the ground and I begin tracing circles in the sleeping bag with my finger. I love the way the fabric feels so smooth, I've never felt anything like it before.

Eventually I look back at Umbra, "But it could be..."

He sighs and rubs his eyes. He looks so out of it. I believe it's because he's sitting in here with me, although – for whatever insane reason – he would rather be sitting on guard in the freezing blizzard.

"Katniss, you can't think like that," his eyes lock onto mine, "You have to trust that they are okay."

I bite my bottom lip, "I know, but I'm just worried? Is there any way we can make sure they're safe?"

"No," he says as soon as I ask. He shakes his head, "You know we can't. How could we? We'd just give away their position and ruin the escape…we have to end the games, that's all we can do for them."

I poke his side, "But you could hide from the cameras and sneak down there."

"Not with a tracker in my arm," he puts his hand on my shoulder, "They're fine. I promise."

When I just continue biting my lip and drawing circles, he lets go of my shoulder and turns his body to face me, propping up on his elbow.

"Katniss, I wish I could do something. But look at me," he catches my attention. I look him over, not noticing anything wrong. "I'm too worn-out for this. Truthfully, fighting Cato is going to be more difficult than we can imagine."

I shake my head in disagreement, "No, we can take him no problem."

Which is the truth, because Umbra could handle Cato on his own. It might be a close fight, but I still bet my money on Umbra. Throw me onto Umbra's team, and now the odds are in our favor tenfold.

"Well, I'm not positive, but I'm pretty sure he has the District 9 boy on his side," he explains. I suppose that would help Cato out a little, but from what I remember the District 9 boy wasn't somebody to worry about.

As I'm trying to think of something else to say, he takes a big leaf and sets it on my head, smiling. "Don't worry about it right now. We can talk more in the morning. Just go back to sleep."

I smile and shake the leaf off, curling up and snuggling the sleeping bag tight up to my nose. I'm just about falling back asleep when Umbra tugs me towards the middle of the tent.

When I look at him, he shrugs, "Sorry, I just don't want you sleeping too close to the wall."

* * *

**This** time I awake without remembering anything I'd dreamt about. I can see the blizzard has slowed down, and the sky is a bit brighter. But it isn't morning brightness, it's just a simulated sunshine to give only enough light for one to see a few feet in front of themselves.

Umbra sits up when he sees me stir, "Good morning Ms. Everdeen, mind if I go gather up something to eat?"

I roll over and yawn with a squeak, "Can I come?"

We both get ourselves bundled up tightly and proceed to walk out into the freezing climate. Immediately, the temperature hits me and it's ten times colder than inside the tent. I want to crawl back in and hunker down again, but Umbra isn't going out alone. We need to stay together at all times.

As we start walking back into the woods, I remember the object. The snow seems to have covered it up, but a small portion still reveals itself.

"Umbra, I saw that yesterday but I didn't want to pick it up," I say, pointing to the item. Umbra follows my gaze, and we make our way over to it. As we get closer, I notice the silver glinting and conclude that it's a parachute.

My lips curve upwards in a grin. Haymitch must have been feeling sorry for my loss, and probably sent me some soup or something.

Umbra is about to pick it up, but his hand hovers over it, "Um, whose is it?"

"Just take it," I say. He grabs the compartment and lifts it from the snow. It's a second later that I realize everything that's out of place.

The parachute isn't beeping or emitting any signal, which means it has already been claimed. The second thing, the actual parachute is also missing, so somebody tossed down the compartment alone. And the last thing I notice, a line attached to the bottom that runs down into the snow.

"Umbra, look out!" I shout. But it's too late, the string snaps and a second later there's a pop sound.

Umbra flinches back and his hand shoots up to his neck, "Ah, what the hell!"

He turns to me and I point at the parachute in his hand, "It wasn't beeping, somebody already claimed it!"

He looks around in circles until he's sure the area is clear, "Well, I never received one, I forgot all about that."

I watch as he opens the compartment up and retrieves a small note from inside. He reads it, "_'Tracker Jacker venom 200mg, this genetically engineered venom will cause the recipient to lose all thought process and they will attack anything and anyone on sight.'_"

At first I'm confused, but then I notice the shocked expression on Umbra's face. He slowly reaches his hand back up to his neck, and plucks out a small dart.

* * *

**A/N:  
**

**Sorry for the late update, I was busy! Here it is though, hope you all enjoy it!  
**

**Big thanks to "Fanpire109" again, what would I do without her? She gave the inspiration for the dream that appears in this chapter!  
**

New poll on my profile, check it out! Thanks to all voters on the last few!

* * *

**A/N: Most of this was written listening to (Hunger Games Soundtrack OST): **YouTube - watch?v=RFAUzAtSz0w&list=PL7E32C4A2DFE84544&index=5&feature=plpp_video

**Thanks for reading!**

**To all the people who are reading, reviewing, subscribing, etc. I sincerely thank you! All of it is much appreciated, and I hope you all continue to enjoy this story as much as I enjoy writing it!**

* * *

**Chapter 26 coming soon! Est: (On or Before) 11/11/12**

* * *

**Please take the time to Review/Comment/Subscribe/PM or Email me with questions or ideas!**

_**- Legkicker**_


	26. Chapter 26: Paying off Debts

**Bows and Snares**

**By: Legkicker  
**

**Chapter 26:** Paying off Debts**  
**

**Snowflake**s fall upon his figure as he stands square to me, his muscles twitching. My eyes grow wide with fear as the full effect of what really just occurred hits me. Umbra was injected with a dosage of Tracker Jacker venom, effectively turning him into my worst nightmare.

He begins growling, "Katniss, don't…" he snarls, "be afraid…to put me down."

I slowly begin backing up, shaking my head, "No, you can fight it!"

He launches the parachute compartment straight for me, and I duck it just in time. It hurls overhead and slams into a tree behind me, shattering into pieces.

My heart skips a beat. It's just like the time I first met him, and I was so afraid. There's nobody I'm more intimidated to fight than him. I'd take on a dozen Peacekeepers, Cato, and Thresh before I'd fight Umbra. Not just because he's my friend, but because he just instills fear the moment he locks his eyes on yours. And by the looks of it, he isn't fighting the venom too well.

He slowly takes a step my way, his elbow bent and his hand half-clenched, fingers clawing upwards. I don't know what to do, aside from continuing to back away. We're only separated by about ten feet, that gap closing with each step.

I can't fight him, I wouldn't stand a chance. And I don't want to hurt him, but there's no real way to put him down without causing some pain. I suppose the venom will eventually wear off, but that may take hours.

There's no use in running, because my ankle won't allow much sprinting to be accomplished. And the amounting snow is already a hindrance against any quick movements. So I have to find a way to disable him.

The only weapons I have with me are blades – and my bow. But everything aside from the bow on my back is in the tent; the swords, knifes, blades, and my supplies are all stashed away. There might be enough time to grab one and keep him at bay…it's my best option since my bow is no good at this range.

But before I have time to calculate it out, he's got me. His hand snatches my jacket, and my body freezes up like a statue. I just let it happen as he lifts me up into the air and throws me down onto my back.

The impact is enough to knock the air from my lungs and bury me under three feet of snow. As I gasp for a breath, my back screams in pain. If I thought Umbra was tough just from looking at him, I just received a first-hand account.

I try to scramble away, but his hand explodes through the layers of snow and clamps down around my throat. Combined with the air knocked out of my lungs, his fingers choke my windpipe until I can't breathe.

With one hand alone, he lifts me up and holds me elevated with my feet just above the ground. I choke while he stares into my eyes.

He speaks to me with a voice dark enough to send chills down my spine, "I could crush you, end your pathetic struggle…" he squeezes a bit tighter, "Take the life from you in a mere second. So quickly you wouldn't even experience it."

Blackness begins to cloud my vision just before he throws me back into a tree. I slam into it, gagging for air as I collapse onto my hands and knees. My throat burns, my lungs are on fire, and it feels as if he left indents in my neck.

There isn't much time to recuperate, as Umbra walks over and delivers a kick into my face that flips me onto my back. By now, the adrenaline has kicked in and the pain is just a numb feeling, but the blood running from my nose tells me how bad it is.

I whimper in pain as he sets his boot onto my chest, threatening to crush me. Blood drips from my brow and further blinds me.

"Umbra! Please! It's me, Katniss!" I screech, my voice weak from the sore throat. "Please!"

There's a faint flicker in his eyes at the mentioning of our names. But it doesn't seem to do me any justice as his glare returns to its fierce state. "How weak, begging in your final moments. Perhaps you shouldn't have upset me to begin with. I don't know you and you don't know me!"

No, he can't forget me! He presses down a bit harder, my ribcage on the verge of cracking. All I can do is try my hardest to push his foot away. It's no use, he's a thousand times stronger than me, and the venom has him set on breaking every bone in my body.

So I work as hard as I can to convince him, "Umbra, you're from District 10! Your eyes are red, your hair is light-brown-"

He cuts me off with a laugh, "And your eyes are an off-grey color, almost a bluish tint, and your hair is _dark_-brown…and you're from District 12, I assume? Most eyes that color tend to be of that origin-"

"You love to help people, but never take the credit! You never harm innocent tributes, you greet me every morning by my last name," I feel his foot lighten up ever so slightly, "You put everybody before yourself, you're deadly, you-" I struggle to ramble on with the lack of air circulating through my lungs, "you cauterize wounds because you're 'stubborn', you never show your face, you don't sleep, you don't turn a cheek to the wind, you and Lucerna are-"

His eyes flash and his foot pops off my chest, "What?" his voice changes to an accusing tone. "What did you just say?"

I take in a deep breath, considering he may just choke me in a moment here. I try to explain, "Lucerna, the girl who came into the arena with you…"

He stares me down for a second longer, and from his posture I can tell I just made things worse. I take the time to scramble towards the tent.

I look back at him just as a sword blade narrowly misses my head. I roll away, getting to my feet and taking off.

"What did you do to her!" he booms, giving chase.

I only make it a few steps away from the tent when I trip over something hidden under the snow. Umbra closes in on me as I slam face-first into the ground. My hands and skin ignore the freezing mush as I search for the source of my fall. Whatever it was, it could be useful…and I need all the help I can get.

I locate it - the District 12 sack. I look up in time again to see Umbra's sword coming right for me. At the last second, I have the bag up to block the attack. The sword slices the fabric open, deflecting off and spilling the contents out before me.

I'm about to get up and run when I notice the silver box in the snow. The poison…that's it! Lucerna said it would work as a sedative! In a small dose…I don't know if it's worth the risk though. But on the other hand, it would probably take a dozen shots to put Umbra down.

I scoop up the box as he prepares to lunge and drive the sword into my stomach. I launch myself into the tent before he can make his move. All the outside elements are cut off the instant I land on the sleeping bag and flip around. I get to work retrieving the poison.

My fingers fail to cooperate as I try to claw the box open. It's too dark inside to see what I'm doing, and the panic steadily rising makes it almost impossible to concentrate.

Suddenly, there are no walls around me and light flashes into my vision as Umbra takes the entire structure and rips it away. But it takes him long enough for me to get the syringe out and ready.

"Enough games!" he shouts. He realizes just a second too late what I have in my hands. I jump up and jam it into his neck, squeezing down on the back until it's half-empty. I don't want to overdose him, or even run the risk of administrating too much.

He pushes me away with his free hand and I fall back into the snow. I sit up and watch hopefully as he yanks the needle out with a grimace, taking a closer look at what I just impaled him with.

"What, why the hell didn't you use a knife? Nobody ever gets a hit on me like that, and-" he stares at the syringe, "This…is?"

I don't have time to answer him before he collapses onto the ground in a heap. My heart stops for a second, as I think he's dead. His body begins convulsing and he twitches sporadically. The sword drops from his hand and he arches his back, clawing at the sky and producing gargling sounds.

My face drains of color and I begin trembling along with him. Could the Tracker Jacker venom and the poison I just injected him with mix? Oh God, if they do, he'll be dead for sure. This isn't happening! I just watched him almost die, I can't do it again!

I rush to his side and try to pin him down, but he flips and flops back and forth. He startles me as his hands clamp down onto my shoulders and he stares into my eyes.

"_G__ratias__-_" he coughs and gags, "_ago…vos…_" Suddenly his entire body goes limp. I wait for him to move again, to make another sound, to breathe…I feel his chest, his heartbeat is absent.

"No…Umbra," my voice cracks. "Please…no-no-no!" I snatch a hold of his wrist, placing a finger on his pulse. Seconds pass and there's nothing…so I try his neck.

More time clicks away…when finally, to my relief, I can feel a faint flow of blood, very hard to detect and with long waits between each beat. But at least he's alive, although it seems he is slipping away even further with each passing second.

_What can I do? There has to be something!_

I know enough that I can tell the cold temperature isn't helping much with his blood flow, so I quickly scavenge the surrounding forest for firewood. Most of it is damp or frozen, but I come across a couple of choice pieces along with my old clothing to use for starting up a flame.

I continuously check over my shoulder, wondering where the tribute is who is responsible for this trap. More than likely, they ran off, considering this trap was set up either yesterday or last night. And, since Umbra was the one injected with the venom, I'd run away too.

After I finish clearing a small circle of snow beside him and have the fire sparked up, ten minutes or so have passed. He's not looking any better, and I take the time to check him. I open his eyelids up and feel my fear restart when I notice how dilated his pupils are. The fire that usually glows inside his red eyes has been diminished to fading hot coals.

I take off my jacket and cover him with it, "Umbra come on…You can't die…"

_How could I do that to him? How could I poison him like that?_

It was as if there was no hesitation, no second thoughts! Umbra could die, and it would be all my fault. Because that's all I've done, isn't it? All I have accomplished since entering into this arena is ruining everything.

If I wasn't here, Umbra and Lucerna would be home-free by now, and Gale wouldn't be here. So in all honesty, I should be dead…everything would be better without me. I knew it would be tough to survive this arena, but I figured I had a good shot. Maybe I am weak…

* * *

**Hours** pass, and all I do is further put myself down. There's no worse feeling than knowing you could be the reason for your best friend's death. I keep the fire stoked and hot, and spend the rest of my time staring at his lifeless body.

Umbra lies in the snow beside me, dying from my hand. Somebody I knew so well, yet never even saw his face.

Out of curiosity, I stare at him. The black-face wrap still conceals everything below his eyes. I've seen most of what's beneath the hood, but never below the wrap. Even when he is eating or drinking, he tends to hide or stuff it up underneath it.

My hand slowly outstretches for his mask, I feel I should get to know him before he passes. My heart is beating so fast, and I'm not positive why. Maybe I shouldn't do this, I don't think he would appreciate it. But I have to know, what is he hiding? My heart pounds in my ears as my fingers touch the thin fabric of the wrap.

Ever so gingerly, I pinch a hold of the material and begin to pull it up. His chin is slowly beginning to be revealed and my eyes are growing wide.

I almost jump out of my skin when his hand snatches my wrist.

His eyes pop open, and stare at me in confusion, "Katniss? What the hell happened?"

At first, I'm not sure if I'm delusional or if he's really alive.

"For God's sake! Do you always do that?" I shout, taking my wrist back. Then the relief washes over me like a wave on the ocean and I realize he's alive! I hug him, "Umbra! I thought I killed you!"

He seems genuinely confused, but happily embraces me as well and laughs, "You, kill me? Well, I never would've expected you to do such a thing…what happened?"

I feel a tear of joy slip out of my eye and I quickly wipe it away without him noticing. My heart feels so light at the moment, I feel like I'm floating. Umbra isn't dead, he's alive and it's because I saved him! We're almost even in saving each other!

I sit back to look at him, "The Tracker Jacker Venom, you came after me…" I say, trying to keep my voice steady.

His eyes open wide and he sits up, "Oh my God! Did I do that!" he gently takes my chin in his hand and looks at my eye. The blood still drips from my brow, and he places his thumb on the cut. He wipes my face off with his other hand.

"It's nothing," I say. Because to me, it really isn't. I'm just too happy Umbra is alive, and no longer under the influence of the venom. I just want to keep hugging him and apologize for almost killing him, but it seems inappropriate by this point.

He ignores me and continues to apply pressure while checking the rest of my face, "I can't believe I did this to you, I'm so sorry. I had no control of my actions."

I look at the ground and frown, "I know, but you don't understand. I almost _killed_ you. I stabbed you in the neck with the poison…" I pick up the syringe nearby and show him. "I remember Lucerna said it was a sedative in small doses, and thought it would put you to sleep..."

Keeping his thumb on the cut, he uses his free hand to take the syringe. He flips it back and forth before looking at me with smiling eyes, "You're smarter than you look! This wouldn't have killed me, not such a small administration. Hell, you saved yourself and me!"

"Well, I thought it might mix with the venom, and when I checked your pulse it was so faint and I could barely feel it," I explain still frowning. I look up at him though and see his eyes, alive and healthy, and can't help but smile.

He stares at the syringe, "Well I bet that was scary…" his eyebrow raises up for a second, "Well, that is interesting…"

"What?" I ask.

He looks back at me and shakes his head, "Never mind, let's get you fixed up."

* * *

**A/N:  
**

**Wish I could've got this to you readers on Saturday as I had planned, but it ended up not being finished until today. Only double-proofread, so try not to stare directly at the grammatical and spelling errors! Also, this chapter is really important, I know it seems like a 'filler' chapter, but you'll see in a future update how important it is!  
**

**Big thanks to all readers/reviewers/voters! I really appreciate the comments and support you guys give me!  
**

As always, another poll is up this week! This one is just a laid back, non-pinnacle poll! Great amount of votes on the last one, thank you voters!

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**A/N: Most of this was written listening to (Hunger Games Soundtrack OST): **YouTube - watch?v=RFAUzAtSz0w&list=PL7E32C4A2DFE84544&index=5&feature=plpp_video

**Thanks for reading!**

**To all the people who are reading, reviewing, subscribing, etc. I sincerely thank you! All of it is much appreciated, and I hope you all continue to enjoy this story as much as I enjoy writing it!**

* * *

**Chapter 27 coming soon! Est: (On or Before) 11/18/12**

* * *

**Please take the time to Review/Comment/Subscribe/PM or Email me with questions or ideas!**

_**- Legkicker**_


	27. Chapter 27: Ghosts and Shadows

**Bows and Snares**

**By: Legkicker  
**

**Chapter 27:** Ghosts and Shadows**  
**

**Gently**, Umbra dabs the blood away from my brow. He was so worried about me after realizing he was responsible for my black eye, nose bleed, cut above my eye, and sore back. Immediately, he tugged me over to the dry spot where the tent previously sat and began cleaning me up.

After some time spent relaxing and calming down, he proposed that we should go check out the cornucopia. He wanted to make sure the other two tributes were still hanging out there, but I told him I'd just slow him down. Honestly, I don't know why but I just don't want to go check it out.

I want to get out of this hellish arena, but at the same time…the moment I do is the moment I say goodbye to Umbra. I don't know which is worse, staying here or possibly never seeing him again.

"I can't believe I did this to you…" he says, applying more medicine to my cuts.

I smile at him, "You didn't mean to, the venom made you do it."

He screws the lid back onto the medicine and stuffs it back into the D10 sack, "Yeah, but I…should…I just can't imagine myself doing that."

Of course not, because Umbra is a protector and not an attacker. I must say, regardless of the venom, I'm surprised he did attack me the way he did. But his sympathy now makes up for that tenfold. I'm sure if it was me that was injected, I would've gone after him too.

"Don't worry about it…" I say, and then my mind lingers onto something else, "Say, can I ask you something?"

He notices my hands are shaking, even though I have them stuffed into my jacket. He removes his gloves and offers them to me, setting them on my lap when I decline.

He watches as I put them on, "Shoot."

My fingers enjoy the new found warmth, "When you were…" it's hard for me to think about, "Right before you passed out, you said something…" I recall the words, "_G__ratias_ _ago vos_…I think that was it. What does it mean?"

His eyes fall to the ground and he takes a few moments before responding. I hate the feeling it emits, so awkward compared to how we were when he was tending to my wounds.

"Well, I don't know. Maybe it was just gibberish, I was spazzing out like you said, after all," he looks up at me hopefully.

I frown, "No, it means something. Please don't lie."

"Katniss," he sighs, "It's not important, perhaps the translation is for another time. If I were to tell you now, it would only further upset you."

I'm about to protest, but he presses an index finger to my lips and shushes me.

"Please," he says. "Look, we need to concentrate here. We wasted the entire day fighting each other, now we need to make a new shelter and keep tabs on the others."

He's right, it's already a few hours past high noon and the sun is moving faster than normal. If we plan on ending these games – and I'm not sure I am – then we have to get to work now.

So we begin, I gather some berries and go hunting while he starts reconstructing the tent. It's peaceful in the forest, even with all the snow. I'm actually sweating by the time I've got two squirrels and I'm ready to return across the meadow. I've spent about an hour or two out; it's hard to tell with the speed the sun moves.

I've been cautious, keeping the campsite in view and watching my step. It makes me wonder, what else did the other two tributes receive at the feast? The venom was obviously one thing, but could they have more? Perhaps something worse?

I'm not sure. My mind wanders the entire time I'm out hunting. I worry about what Umbra meant by those three words. They don't really sound like anything in the language we speak. _Gratias_…is somewhat similar to '_gracious_'. No, it's closer to _'gratitude'_. I know from learning something about it in school, that before Panem formed from the ash, there were different regions around the world. Each spoke a different native language, and those languages were all intertwined with similarities amongst words that aided in translation.

_Gratias…gratitude._

But why would somebody express 'gratitude' in their final moments? Was Umbra thanking me? Was he happy that…no.

I pause at the edge of the meadow and look up at him. His eyes smile at the sight of me and he gestures to the large structure of sticks he created. It resembles the last tent we had, the one he destroyed, but about twice its size. The branches he used for the walls are larger, giving it a taller appeal as well.

"Wow," I toss the squirrels and sack of berries down by the fire. "That's a lot bigger than the last one."

He nods, "I figure this will give us some more personal space."

Oh, of course Umbra would put the extra effort in for a few feet of space between us. I'm walking around the forest mindlessly collecting a bounty of berries and squirrels, worrying about the possibility of never seeing him again, and he is thinking of ways to create distance between us. But I think it's because he doesn't want to run the risk of attacking me in the night or something stupid.

He rubs his neck, "So, we're operational again. Do you feel like taking that walk now?"

I brush off the question and begin cleaning the squirrels for cooking. I answer nonchalantly, "I guess we should, huh?"

He sighs, "Look, I could go alone, but I don't want to leave you here…"

"Hmm," I decide to get straight to the point, "How's the plan coming along?"

That catches him off guard. He looks around the forest, probably wondering if the Gamemakers know what the hell we're talking about.

He grits his teeth, "Perhaps we can discuss it over a nice walk?"

* * *

**Behold** the cornucopia…the one place where all the action occurs. Umbra and I sit on the outer rim of the clearing, staring in at the shiny metal structure. It was hell getting up to here, walking through the snow with my ankle the way it is. And not to mention the traps we encountered. It appears that the District 9 boy is the trap-maker considering the complex designs we've come across. Or maybe the feast supplied Cato with an instructional book.

Umbra and I have been sitting for a few hours now, and the snowfall has begun once again. It appears freezing the river is no easy task, at least not if they want to keep the temperature out here above zero.

Along our walk, no plans of escaping the arena were discussed. I was a bit foolish for believing we would talk about it, considering everything said would be recorded…

I sit with my arms crossed, bundled up in both my jacket and Umbra's nice new one, rocking back and forth with my chin tucked into the collar.

He sits beside me, only his old torn-up jacket to protect him against the freezing winds. But he doesn't mind, not even a wince. He sits perfectly still, staring in at the emptiness. I don't know what he's expecting to see. Cato and his new ally are probably hiding inside from the horrible weather.

I decide to voice this observation, "I don't think they're going to come out tonight."

He turns to me, taking his hand and brushing some snow out of my hair and off my shoulders. I'm disappointed when he returns his gaze to the cornucopia.

"Ready to head back?" he asks, still focusing on the clearing.

I stare at him for a moment, I know he wants to stay. "No, it's fine."

That gets him to look at me, and he gives a soft chuckle, "Don't worry, I'm done watching, just thinking now."

"About-" I yawn, "what?"

He leans a bit closer and lowers his voice, "Something isn't right…" he looks at me before continuing, "Remember all those traps we passed on the way up here?"

I nod.

"Remember all the footprints we saw around them?" he tilts his head.

My mind draws a blank, and I'm about to nod just because I don't want to look like I missed something he hadn't, but then I realize he's trying to tell me something.

"Exactly, there _were_ no footprints…at all. And those traps were set above ground quite recently," he points out. "I believe we're actually the ones under observation right now. But for whatever reason, our stalkers are refraining from attack."

My heart slowly starts beating a bit faster after his words. I uncross my arms and reach for the bow on my back, but he stops me.

"No," he grabs my elbow and lowers it, "Obviously they want us to do that. They want us to attack…do you still have your infrared-goggles?"

I raise my brow, wincing at the pain, "My what?"

He shakes his head and takes the bag off my back, digging around and retrieving the thermal-goggles inside. One of the lenses is cracked, and one of the sides that slips behind your ear is also broken off. I watch him put them on, and wait as he wears them for minutes and minutes.

Finally, he hands them to me, "Looks like we've got a pair of ghosts watching over us."

What? I hold the goggles up to my eyes and take a gander. The snow makes it pretty easy to decipher life from inanimate objects. Everything not producing a heat-wave is a cool color, like blue, but animals and live objects glow hot with red, orange, and yellow colors.

I scan across the opening, starting at the right and sweeping across. A few orange and red splotches appear on the far side, rabbits and squirrels. It's a wonder how they survived the fast and dramatic change in climate. The Gamemakers must just send in new ones as needed.

When my eyes land on the cornucopia, I nearly drop the goggles. Two clearly displayed body signatures lean against it, one much larger than the other.

"Umbra, it's them!" I whisper harshly. I watch the bright lights sit motionless, sticking out clearly against the dark colored background.

I take off the goggles and Umbra stashes them away, "Right, so, that means-"

"They're invisible?" I finish his statement with a question.

He shakes his head, "Not quite…well, perhaps the Gamemakers supplied them with a military grade cloaking device, but I believe they'd go the more economic route of supplying them with arctic terrain ghillie suits."

Ghillie suits?

"Like camouflaged clothing, only a higher-grade material and better designed suit made to simulate and mimic the surrounding area. We could see them if they were moving, but they aren't and therefore they are lost in the background," he explains.

So Cato and his friend are now like Umbra, a prodigy of stealth. This game is no longer going to be won with face to face confrontations, but rather who can sneak up on who first.

Umbra stands up and takes my hand, helping me up onto my feet, "Come on, I've got a lot to ponder now."

We start to head back and I ask, "Is this bad? I can't shoot something I can't see."

"Well," he looks at me with a shrug, "I did say this was going to be a tough fight."

* * *

**Back **at the campsite, I'm still trying to fathom the thought of invisible tributes running around the area. How come they don't even leave footprints? Invisibility shouldn't prevent weight from being placed upon each step.

And how come the Gamemakers are spoon-feeding them? They already have the best shelter in the arena, and now they're invisible? All we have to see them is one lousy pair of goggles, Gale took the other pair when he left.

They are ghosts, just as Umbra titled them. It's not fair, the Gamemakers are rigging this fight. They've been dealing us a lousy hand this entire time we've been here.

"Oh Katniss, would you calm down," Umbra says, walking into the tent. The entrance is just low enough that he has to duck his head to get in, when before he had to crawl. He knocks the snow off his boots and brushes off, handing me a squirrel on a stick.

I nibble on it and pop a few berries into my mouth, "Calm down? This is serious! They could come in and slit our throats tonight, we'd never see it coming!"

He takes a bite out of his squirrel. It reminds me of how I tried to get under his mask, and I feel bit of shame mixed with guilt for trying to go behind his back. Did he know I was doing that? I think he did, but he's too nice to ever call me out on it.

"Don't count on it, they obviously fear something about us. Otherwise we'd already be dead," he explains.

I think about it, "Well, what's there to fear?"

"Us!" he says, "Let's be honest, we've done our fair share of killing. In fact, we're responsible for Cato's entire alliance being slaughtered. Invisible or not, if he doesn't kill me in one move, I'll have him in my grasp."

In my mind I can picture the fight, Umbra grappling an invisible Cato. "Maybe we can find a way to make them visible again?"

He nods, "Ghillie suits don't make them literally, or I should say, physically 'invisible', just an illusion. If they _do_ have a cloaking device, then yes…we'll need to cover them with something or find the source emitting the cloak."

We finish our squirrels and berries, and I end up nestling into my side of the tent. Umbra gave me the entire sleeping bag to use, and I can honestly say it's the most comfortable position I've been in since I entered the arena. He managed to dig up the ground beneath where I sleep with his sword, turning the frozen soil over until it was a fresh ground of dirt. Then he covered it with dead leaves and spread his old clothing out into bedding.

He pops back into the tent after stoking the fire once more. After today, it took a lot of convincing to have him agree not to stay outside and keep watch tonight. We met a stalemate when I said I didn't want him out alone and he said he didn't think it was a good idea for me to sit outside with him all night. But Umbra is always on the alert anyway, they'd have some trouble sneaking up to this campsite without him noticing, regardless of him being in the tent or not.

I watch as he gets himself comfortable, first removing his tattered backpack, then his D10 sack, and finally his sword; the prized sword that claimed Thresh's life, with its curved blade design.

With a flick of his wrist, he spins it back around and inspects it before setting it down beside his spot, always within close reach. But he doesn't settle in without a weapon on him, he tucks his jacket behind the sheath on his side, revealing the handle to the long machete on his hip. Just looking at him, with the flickering flames outside illuminating his dark figure, I know there's nothing to worry about.

I can hold my own, and if I was out in this situation, with possibly invisible tributes tracking me down, I'd have a decent shot. I'm smart, smarter than Cato for sure, and I'd improvise. I could've won these games alone, now that I see what it's like first-hand.

But I'd be so afraid, so nervous on my own. Without Gale volunteering with me, it would've been so much more demanding and so much more horrific for me. Not that it wasn't, and is, horrible, but it would have been a hundred times as terrifying.

Umbra goes without saying. I believe I've covered it enough times how much I owe him. He makes me feel safe.

He glances over at me and I shut my eyes, pretending I'm asleep. He switches to quiet mode, and I squint to watch. His hands go up to his head, and he rubs his face. When he brings them back down, I notice something on his palm - something black, like ink, drawn on in a simple design.

I never noticed it before, because he always wore the gloves. But he let me have them today, and now has me intrigued. Part of me wants to ask him, but the other half tells me to leave him alone. I already ask him too many questions it seems. Or at least the request for him to translate what he said earlier was enough for today.

Eventually he lays back and stares at the ceiling as he always does. I find that I can't fall asleep, and end up watching him for a while before deciding to leave my comfortable spot. I scoot my way over to him and bring the sleeping bag with me.

He seems surprised by my approach, and even more so when I spread the sleeping bag across both of us.

"Um, is something wrong?" he asks confused. "I thought you'd appreciate the space I provided between us?"

He stares at me and waits for an answer, but I just smile and close my eyes. I expect the awkwardness to last, but it doesn't. In fact, Umbra loosens up almost instantly, his shoulder relaxing against mine and his warmth generating throughout the entire blanket draped over us.

"Katniss, I don't think I ever properly thanked you," he says.

I'm a bit drowsy and my answer comes as a mumble, "What for?"

"Not just for respectively saving my life the many times you have thus far…" he turns to face me and his eyes smile, he whispers, "but for being a good friend and trusting me. That means something to me. Thank you."

I meet his eyes, not sure what to say in response. Should I thank him too? That's too obvious; he knows I appreciate all he's done. Can he see that in my eyes? Does he know that because of him, I may see Prim and my mother again? Gale and I could both go home? I want to tell him, but he never really likes compliments.

Instead, I get a bit closer to him and roll my eyes, jokingly saying, "Oh, get over yourself, I'm just cold."

He laughs and returns to staring at the ceiling, "Yeah? Well, let's hope you don't mistake me for the wall tonight."

For the first time in countless years passed, I fall asleep warm, with food in my belly, a friend at my side, and a bright smile on my face.

* * *

**A/N:  
**

**Hey readers, enjoy this chapter while you can. It appears the next one and the following one won't be so upbeat...As it looks, this story will have 2-3 more chapters + an Acknowledgment page to make the total chapter count reach 30 chapters. Which obviously means there will be some important things happening in the next chapter.  
**

**Big thanks to "rayleen14" for helping out with this chapter!  
**

New poll up, check it out! This poll is another decider, so if you care, vote! Thanks voters!

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**A/N: Most of this was written listening to (Hunger Games Soundtrack OST): **YouTube - watch?v=RFAUzAtSz0w&list=PL7E32C4A2DFE84544&index=5&feature=plpp_video

**Thanks for reading!**

**To all the people who are reading, reviewing, subscribing, etc. I sincerely thank you! All of it is much appreciated, and I hope you all continue to enjoy this story as much as I enjoy writing it!**

* * *

**Chapter 28 coming soon! Est: (On or Before) 11/25/12**

* * *

**Please take the time to Review/Comment/Subscribe/PM or Email me with questions or ideas!**

_**- Legkicker**_


	28. Chapter 28: The Beginning of the End

**Bows and Snares**

**By: Legkicker  
**

**Chapter 28:** The Beginning of the End**  
**

**Warmth** circulates throughout my body. My arms, legs, fingers and toes, chest, neck, face – are all so warm…

Peace. Peaceful, it's the only word that can describe such a feeling in our sanctuary of a tent. The darkness that engulfs my vision flickers slightly with orange flame from the outside fire. I'm so drowsy and so sleepy, I hardly notice it. From my twilight-zone like perspective, I'm only certain of a few things.

I'm in the Hunger Games, lying inside a warm tent and cuddling up against Umbra while we sleep beneath the wonderful sleeping bag wrapping us tighter together. Nothing else really matters to me, and I just find myself in a half-dream, half-reality type of realm.

In my dream, or imagination rather, I see myself back at home. Prim is there, my mother, Gale, Lucerna, Umbra, and even Raechill. There's not a problem in the world, just happiness. Gale keeps trying to tell me something but I can't quite make it out. Eventually the dream fades and I slip into a deep sleep.

* * *

**Umbra** stirs me awake at some point in the night. It's still dark out and the fire is still going when I open my eyes.

"Something wrong?" I ask tiredly.

He shakes his head, and lies back, "I just think we should talk."

I get myself a bit more comfortable, using my arm as a pillow and staring at him, waiting for him to go on.

"Let me check how you're healing," he says. He brushes some of my hair away from my face and checks the conditions of my wounds. "Looking a lot better, you still have a black eye though. How's your back?"

I shrug, "I'm fine. It doesn't hurt that bad, really."

He nods, and we sit in silence for a moment. Finally he says, "Are you scared?"

I'm about to respond with a 'what do you mean' look, but as I've discovered before, Umbra always asks questions that go deeper than most people interpret. So I spend a few seconds thinking about it while he watches me.

"No, I know you'll find a solution. You always do," I answer.

He smiles, "Good, I just want you to know…I do have a plan, I can't share it. All I can say is that things are not always what they seem, keep that in mind."

Things are not always what they seem…I've heard the saying before. But what could it possibly relate to right now?

He nudges my side with his elbow, "I just wanted you to know that, you can go back to sleep now."

_Oh yeah, because I'll get a lot of sleeping done with that on my mind._ It does make me happy to know he has a plan, and I'd press him to tell me if I didn't know better. It would only make him regret telling me if I did though.

So I roll over and try my hardest to not allow the questions to linger.

* * *

**Sleep** comes back easily, as it has the past few times I've spent the night in Umbra's company. I awake to the early morning sunrise. Silently, we both watch it until it crests over the mountain ridge and the birds begin chirping. The snow has stopped for the time being, and we decide to take advantage of the clear weather.

"Going on your breakfast run?" Umbra asks me as he slips on his backpack.

I yawn and stretch, "Yeah, I'll go see what I can gather up."

He nods, "I guess I'll collect some firewood, although I don't plan on staying many more nights in this arena."

Any moment could be the 'final moment' here. We're both waiting for it to come, but I doubt we'll be prepared when it happens. I can see that Umbra is pondering the same thought, staring me down.

We set off in our different directions.

* * *

**Eventually**, I find myself on the opposite side of the meadow. Carelessly enough, the campsite is out of range and no longer in my sight. I curse myself for letting that happen, I know better than to let it get out of view. My mind wasn't on security at the moment I lost track, I was still trying to figure out Umbra's plan.

I'm about to head back, but the river intrigues me once I catch a glimpse. I hadn't seen it since we left the cave for the oak tree meadow.

Umbra was right, they did freeze it over. I've never seen anything like it, the way the ice covers it over like a sheet of glass. I bite my lip, looking back at the meadow. Umbra can handle himself for a few minutes while I check this out.

I quickly drop off the bank to the edge of the frozen water and kneel down to touch it. The top is smooth, with ripples and humps from the waters formation. Is it really possible to freeze a river like this?

The snow amounts in a nice blanket over top of it, so perfect and untouched. I use my index finger, pressing it into the white canvas and writing my name in. Standing back, I survey my work with a smile. _Katniss Everdeen_, I've never seen it written so delicately before. Prim would probably like me to write her name right now too, to see how it would look.

I'm in the process of drawing out the 'P' when a sound so familiar, yet so ancient, booms in the distance. A cannon.

My heart stops, and my entire body freezes. I listen to the sound echo off into the distance, still in disbelief that I had just heard it. Umbra…

In the very next second, I'm on my feet with an arrow notched in my bow, sprinting like my ankle isn't sprained and my back isn't damaged. Umbra, Cato, or the District 9 boy…two good choices and one horrible one. I pray and pray that Umbra isn't the one.

As I break out of the forest and onto the meadow, I strain to see the campsite. Umbra isn't there, and my heart begins pounding like never before. The adrenaline keeps my muscles from shutting down while they endure the excruciating task of running through the layers of snow and distance I've covered.

When I finally reach the campsite, I'm spinning in circles. Blood pulsates through my ears and my heart sinks like a rock in water.

I resort to calling out his name, "Umbra!" My voice trails off and I wait a minute or so, expecting a response that never comes.

All he did was go out to collect firewood, how far could he have wandered off? Did he leave me? Did he go to the cornucopia without me? Is that what his plan was, to get himself killed? I have to get to the cornucopia-

A faint voice calls out from the nearby forest, "Katniss!"

I turn in its direction, my heart leaping at the sight of Umbra sprinting my way. Without even noticing I'm moving again, I run and meet him halfway; both of us locking arms around each other on impact. My heart is flipping and flopping back and forth, the relief like a sweet dream.

"I thought you were dead!" I shout furiously. Tears from both the anger and thought of him dead begin welling in my eyes.

He tucks my head against his chest and rubs my back, "It's okay, I'm alright, oh God," he holds me back to look at me, "I thought it was you."

I just shake my head, fearing that I may breakdown if I speak. He hugs me again and we sit there holding each other for a minute or so. After a while, we loosen up, still holding each other's hands as if one of us may bolt away without warning.

Umbra raises a brow, "Alright, if we're both safe…then who-"

Out of nowhere, a high-pitched shriek sounds off in the neighboring woods. Umbra keeps my hands clenched in his as we both turn our heads in its direction. The sound echoes off and dies out, and I find my ears straining to pick up the slightest of sounds.

"That sounded all too familiar," Umbra mutters more to himself than me. I'm about to ask him what he's implying, but another shout is all I need for his explanation.

"Katniss!" a voice calls. There's no mistaking it, I could pick his voice out of thousands. And he's calling for me, who else aside from Umbra would do that? They never left the arena, they're both still here…

My blood starts pumping again and I try to wriggle myself free from Umbra's grasp, but he holds on tighter.

"No, it could be trap!" he tries to stop me.

I give him a hard shove, "And it could be them!"

His hands fail to keep their hold as I slip out of his gloves and take off running in the direction of the shouts. He could be right, it may very well be a trap, but I'd rather find out firsthand than have Gale's blood spilled because of my hesitation.

All of the snow piling up delays our travel and requires extra efforts to keep our legs moving at a speed appropriate enough to call a sprint. Everything looks identical, this neck of the woods never crossed by my feet before. I'm lost, chasing echoes.

Eventually, I'm far enough into the thicket that I'm spinning around and trying to get a bearing on my location. Trees, branches, twigs, scraggly bushes, and sticks cloud my vision, and the snow covering the ground matches the color of the sky. I'm breathing heavily and doubled over, sucking in air when Umbra catches up.

It appears as if he hasn't even broken a sweat, and I'm a bit surprised he was lagging behind me for the entire run out to here. My ankle throbs with pain as I try to stand up and look him in the eyes.

"We're being hunted," he says. His hand grasps the curved blade on his side and he unsheathes it, twirling it once. "Ready your bow-"

Suddenly, the high-pitched scream calls out again, this time much closer. I turn, sure that it's behind a large oak tree only a few yards away. I find myself moving its way unconsciously, breathlessly, and freely.

My legs carry me out into a clearing, where the trees open up enough for a small circle of ground to remain untouched; a small arena enclosed in about a twenty foot radius. The snow lies in a perfect blanket in the middle, beckoning to be trampled across. Something about it lures me in, like there's a magnet physically attracting my body inwards.

I don't even think about the consequences as I take the first step into the opening…

"No!" Umbra's warning reaches me a second too late. I feel the ground beneath me turn metallic, unlike the frozen dirt and snow I ran across to get here. This _was _alla trap, and instead of saving Gale and Lucerna, I'm walking into a field of mines.

My fate is sealed, and I can do nothing but accept the consequences of my mistake. But somehow, some way, Umbra manages to reach me in time and throw me out of the danger zone…but in doing so he places himself in the path of destruction.

There's a faint click sound…just before the deafening boom of a dozen or so mines exploding. Even with the distance Umbra created between me and the clearing, the explosion tosses me like a ragdoll through the air.

I flip upside down, slamming into a large tree trunk about ten yards away and collapsing onto the ground…

I'm disorientated, my mind completely blank and my senses all shut down. One second I was walking into a beautiful patch of white snow, and the next second the ground was exploding. It was so quick, the flash, the boom, the snow, the ground, the debris, and me all flying into the air. The shockwave was so intense it tossed me as if I weighed nothing.

I don't feel a thing until I hit the tree, returning the pains into my back. My muscles are rubber, my ears don't even ring - they're completely silent, my vision is foggy and slipping in and out of blackness.

My body is so numb I can't tell where I am or what position I'm in. Images flash in my mind; Gale, Prim, home, Umbra…

_Where is he?_ He received the blow worse than I did, stepping into the path I was taking. I try to shake my head to clear my vision, but I realize I'm sitting upside down, my body and legs inverted against the tree trunk. I manage to plop over and try to collect myself.

I can't move, I can only open my eyes to see a very wavy image of what is happening before me. The snowy clearing is gone, replaced now with a crater of dirt. There's fire around the edges, the trees managing to catch on from the explosion. A black figure who I'm sure to be Umbra rests on the far side, squirming in pain.

But a newcomer is even more intriguing, he literally appears from the middle. I'm not sure if what I see actually happens or if it's my foggy comprehension of the situation, but a figure dissolves from thin air. It's like watching a photograph fade in from blackness, slowly taking on color and form.

I hear muffled sounds now, but not clear enough for me to make out. I just watch blankly, lying immobile with my cheek pressed into the snow as the newcomer glides over to Umbra.

I shake my head and blink as hard as I can, opening my eyes to see a bit of improvement. The newcomer takes on a bit more characteristics with my newfound vision. It's a man, with blonde hair, broad shoulders, and tall stance. He wears a ragged and camouflaged suit, matching the snowy scenery around us. He reaches down and grabs Umbra by the chest.

My hearing returns somewhat, and I make out a conversation forming.

"Too easy…" a familiar voice growls. Only, it's not Gale, or Lucerna…it's Cato.

* * *

**A/N:  
**

**Hello again, big chapter here (as the chapter title states), looks like the moment we've all been waiting for is finally coming in the next update! Questions will be answered: _What will Umbra do? Who will live?__  
_But some questions will remain until further updates, or some not answered until the sequel. And, perhaps some new ones will be raised... **

**Thanks for reading thus far, I appreciate anybody and everybody who read up until this point! It's been fun to write and I love having your input and feedback, sticking through the rough chapters and enjoying the good ones! Thanks everyone, you're all great and I hope you stick around! **

This week's poll is pretty interesting, and it's up and ready to be voted on so go for it! Great turnout last week, thank you to my voters! And thanks to anybody who votes this week!

* * *

**A/N: Most of this was written listening to (Hunger Games Soundtrack OST): **YouTube - watch?v=RFAUzAtSz0w&list=PL7E32C4A2DFE84544&index=5&feature=plpp_video

**Thanks for reading!**

**To all the people who are reading, reviewing, subscribing, etc. I sincerely thank you! All of it is much appreciated, and I hope you all continue to enjoy this story as much as I enjoy writing it!**

* * *

**Chapter 29 coming soon! Est: (On or Before) 12/2/12**

* * *

**Please take the time to Review/Comment/Subscribe/PM or Email me with questions or ideas!**

_**- Legkicker**_


	29. Chapter 29: The End of the Beginning

**Bows and Snares**

**By: Legkicker  
**

**Chapter 29:** The End of the Beginning

**Blackness** clouds my vision as I try to push myself up and lift my body off the ground. My elbows grow weak from the strain, failing to hold my weight and collapsing beneath me. I plop back into the snow, my cheek surely frozen and frostbitten from exposure.

Not that I would feel it, with my entire body numb and tingling. All I can do is watch hopelessly, praying that Umbra can defend himself until I get myself together.

A few yards in front of me, jutting out of the snow, is my silver bow. The arrows from my quiver lie scattered all around it, just beckoning to be picked up and used. If I could just reach them…but even then I'd need all my strength to pull the string back and aim a well-placed shot.

Until I find that reserve of power, I stare at the conflict arising. My hearing is slowly coming back, but everything still sounds muffled. It's like listening to a conversation through a thick wall, the voices a bit distorted.

Cato releases Umbra and he falls back into the snow, clearly displeased with the situation.

"I want a fair fight, I expected that stupid girl to walk into this trap…but you?" Cato says in disbelief.

Umbra wipes his mouth, "Stupid? She was smart enough to defeat Clove, was she not?"

Cato lashes out, yanking Umbra onto his feet and launching him into a tree. Umbra slams up against it, somehow managing to stay on his feet. Cato charges over and prepares to smash Umbra's face in, and I'm about to cringe before he hits…but Umbra ducks the swing and spins around behind his attacker.

They turn to face each other. Umbra is finally beginning to tense up and become his intimidating figure, although he is still injured from the explosion. Somehow he managed to take less damage than I did, and I believe the tree that was in front of him saved him from certain death. It's destroyed now, only a shattered stump remains.

Cato smiles, "Good, now you're ready to fight. Let me get comfortable," he says. He slips the ghillie suit off and resorts to wearing only his black t-shirt and tan pants. In the middle of his back a small metal object about the size of my hand is attached to his shirt. It has to be the cloaking device…

Something about him is off, his muscles appear much larger than they did before, and his veins are much more prominent. His skin is a bit too pale, and black lines circle under his eyes.

He reaches into his pocket, retrieving a syringe. I fear it's poison, but I'm shocked when he injects it into his own arm.

"Steroids?" Umbra snorts, "I thought you wanted a fair fight?"

Cato laughs madly, "This _is_ fair! You and I both know you have more muscle than me, but not anymore!" he crushes the syringe in his hand, the glass drawing blood. "I'll make quick work out of you, and then I'll be sure her death is slow. Maybe I'll toy with her a bit first, what do you think?"

"Tough words for a dead-man walking," Umbra makes his move, jabbing Cato in the face with a quick punch. I'm amazed when it has little effect, and Cato brushes it off.

"Yeah, we'll see," Cato replies with a grin.

He drives a fist into Umbra's midsection, causing him to double over. Then he takes Umbra by the hood, holding his head in place while he brings his knee up into his face. It sends Umbra onto his back, and I fear the fight is already all but over.

_I need to do something! I can't just sit here and watch him die, I feel so helpless…._

Cato tries to stomp Umbra's head, but he rolls away just in time. He's back on his feet, delivering a few blows into Cato's body before jumping out of range. They begin a back and forth sparring, trading blows and splattering the snow beneath them with bright, red blood.

My hands find the ground, and I'm trying to figure out where my body is. Do I even have legs?

The bow in front of me is only a short crawl away, I can do it. My arms stretch out in front of me, and I drag myself a foot or so forward. A pain shoots up my back in the process, and I'm left groaning and wincing with pain. I barely even moved and it feels like I just broke every bone in my body.

My eyes drift back up to the fight, only to find things have gotten worse. Cato and Umbra are both armed now, swinging swords and slashing at each other. Umbra brings his curved blade around, narrowly missing Cato's torso.

His sword sticks into a tree, and he attempts to yank it out with no avail. Cato brings his sword up over his head, prepared to chop Umbra's arm off.

But he releases just in time, Cato's sword slamming deep into the ground. Umbra takes advantage of the situation, kicking Cato in the stomach and separating him from the blade. They return to using their fists to beat each other senseless.

Somebody has to lose this fight, and I'm not letting it be Umbra. I'm back to crawling again, my hands roaming out in front of me. I make slow progress, but most of the time I'm just pulling snow towards me. It's hard enough to crawl in snow, but to do it with no muscle is even more difficult.

Soon enough I'm out of breath, the bow so close that I curse myself for stopping. But the fight raging on in front of me captures my attention once more.

Umbra's in trouble, Cato's hand locked around his throat. He lifts him into the air, choking him and elevating his feet off the ground. Umbra's hands lock around Cato's wrists, but it's no use…Cato plans on ending this fight right here right now.

"Damn, I thought you'd be more of a challenge," Cato growls. His voice turns playful, "Funny isn't it? All your wasted efforts trying to be 'good' and all you accomplish is making a fool out of yourself?"

Umbra manages to pry Cato's fingers away enough to speak, "The only fool…is the…tribute who believes…winning these games is a…glorious thing! You're the fool…calling the outcome before it arrives!"

Cato spits a mouthful of blood onto the ground, "Is that worse than not knowing when to quit? Give up, accept your death."

_No! Katniss, do something!_

A sudden burst of panic, that lovely flow of adrenaline this arena has adapted me to, rushes through my body. I roll onto my side, stretching my right arm out for the bow. It's just too far…my fingers sliding across its surface and knocking it farther away with each touch.

_I need it, this is my last chance!_

My shoulder can't take the strain much longer, and I lunge myself forward until I feel the metal in my palm. I clasp down, dragging it back to me. I celebrate a silent victory, but not for long. I quickly scoop an arrow from the ground, and then the challenge becomes even harder. It takes a second for me to sit up properly, my back completely screwed up.

My vision is still also a bit messed up, and notching the arrow is more difficult than I imagined. Eventually I get it notched in, just as Cato is unsheathing a knife on his side.

"Want to say anything to the folks back home before I carve open your neck for them?" Cato offers.

I'm in full panic now, and have no more time to waste. I get myself situated, propping myself back up against the tree in a sitting position. Everything in me wants to shut off, as if my entire body wants to shut down and collapse. I won't let it, I have to save him.

I look up with my bow ready, the arrow pointed their way. All I need to do is aim and draw back…and fire.

Excruciating pains travel down my arms, shoulders, and back as I begin to pull the string back. My eyes clench shut as I do, and the string nearly slips. That would be the end of it, my arrow lost, my cover blown, and my muscles deteriorated. But I successfully manage to get the bow drawn back to full length…now to aim.

I shut my left eye, and allow the bow to become an extension of my arm. I can't explain what happens when I zero in on targets, whether I'm hunting or in the arena shooting at people…all I can say is everything tends to slow down and nothing else matters except for whatever I'm locked onto.

Winds whisper across the forest, snow swirling up like white fairies dancing towards the clouded sky. The cooling winds chill my body, my senses finally returning. And everything is calm…Cato holds my friend in the air, his free hand clutching a knife.

I pick my spot, my accuracy sure to fail with my fading strength. So I am for his upper back, right at the cloaking device, the greatest chance for a hit. I draw in a deep breath, holding it for a second and slowly letting the air back out of my lungs. I stop mid-breath and…

Umbra chokes out, "_Semper erit umbras_ - you bastard."

…release.

He never sees it coming, and the arrow hits its mark. It lands right in the middle of the device, the effects almost instantaneous. Unexpectedly, there's an explosion caused from the impact, the device causing it. I shield my eyes from the small blast, debris landing all around me.

I look up to see Umbra roll to a stop on the outer rim of the crater, and Cato land in the middle of the ditch where his blood pools beneath him.

My eyes stay locked on Umbra, and I watch to see any movement. He's probably unconscious, or bleeding out. I can't explain how many times he ends up in this condition. I wait while minutes and minutes pass, until a cannon finally booms in the distance.

It's either sounding off for Cato or Umbra. If it's for Umbra, then I'm surely dead when Cato awakes. If it's for Cato, then the games are over. Either way, I figure my best bet is to let the drowsiness take over, and I feel my eyelids begin to grow heavy. It's getting late, the evening sky dark with thick grey clouds. It's cold, yet my body is numb and warm. The forest is quiet aside from the wind, no longer is there a conflict to be fought.

I can't believe it…I just killed my best friend…I feel myself slipping away…when suddenly…

Umbra coughs. My eyes snap back open to see him gag up a spurt of blood. His arms twitch, and he slowly rolls onto his side, staying there for a minute before sitting up. A small smile slowly spreads across my lips at the sight of his movement.

He shakily gets to his feet and stands over the edge of the crater, breathing heavily and staring down at Cato's lifeless body. After a few minutes pass by, he looks across the crater into the forest.

Eventually he nods his head, touching his fingers to his lips and saluting the sky, _"__Pax iuvenes, dormire bene…_Cato._"_

So it's over…Cato's dead, and I can sleep now. I feel myself falling, collapsing as my body so desperately calls for it. The blackness takes over my vision once again.

I'm about to slip away when I feel myself lifted back up from the shadows.

"Hey, hey-hey! Katniss!" Umbra scoops me up in his arms and sets me up with my back to a tree. He pats my face until I'm responsive. I just stare at him for a minute, wondering if he's real. He is, he's my savior. I'm his savior. I smile and he smiles back.

"You did it," he says, "You killed Cato, you saved my life…"

I chuckle weakly, "_We_ did it…not bad for an excuse for an archer, huh?"

He laughs and puts a hand on my shoulder, "Not bad at all…thank you."

I just keep smiling, because I know everything is going to be alright now. That is…until I notice the expression on Umbra's face.

He knows I realize he's up to something, and he confesses, "I wanted to wait until tomorrow, but I think you're hurt too bad…we need to end this now."

The confusion registers on my face again, but he doesn't explain as he scoops me up and begins to walk us home to the tent.

* * *

**Upon** arrival, I'm finally getting my head clear. Umbra carries me into the tent, setting me down on the sleeping bag and sitting down by the door.

He retrieves his District 10 bag and begins digging around inside, "Odd isn't it? Being in this arena with no threats feels almost…eerie?"

He's right, it is a bit strange sitting here in the tent all alone. It's almost as if we're out on a camping trip, just the two of us. Oh how I wish that were true.

When I see what he pulls out, I'm mortified - the silver box containing the poison. He sets it aside and retrieves the other box out of my bag as well. He takes the two syringes, one full and one half full, and lays them down in front of himself. Then he takes his sleeves and rolls them up. It's not often I see his arms, their muscular and scarred appearance. Raechill's friendship bracelet is still tied around his wrist, and he carefully takes it off…and tosses it to me.

"Keep mine for me, I'll want that back someday," he says. His eyes don't meet mine, he just stares at the bracelet in my hands for a moment.

Finally he says it, "Katniss…you're not going to like this. Good news and bad news…"

My heart starts beating, and my voice is too weak to say anything in response.

"Good news, we're going home, bad news," he stares at me, "we're taking separate rides."

He waits for me to reply, but all I can do is shake my head, "What?"

He explains further, "Your ride will take you to the Capitol, where you'll be crowned victor. Mine is taking me to my resting place..."

_Resting place_…his grave.

"NO!" I shout jumping onto my feet. The sudden change of position sets me off balance, and I come toppling down. Umbra catches me though, and I scramble around until we're face to face and my eyes are locked on his.

"I didn't save you to let you die!" I argue. "Stop this!"

He shushes me, but I won't let him.

"No Umbra! If you do, I'll-I'll hate everything and everybody and-"

He presses a finger to my lips, "Katniss, please. Listen to me. Remember what I told you last night?"

_Things are not always what they seem_…I'll never forget.

He nods, "Think about that," he pulls me close to him and whispers in my ear, "I'm not leaving…I'm not dying here. I have too much work to get done…but this is how it _has_ to happen. This poison, it's a sedative in small amounts. If I take the right amount…it'll fade my pulse. Then you cut out my tracker, put it in my jacket, I'll deal with the rest."

I'm trying to blink the tears away but they keep coming, "That won't work, it won't. They'll make sure you're dead once you're on the hovercraft. And even if they don't-"

"I'll deal with the rest, trust me. Trust Lucerna…it was her original plan to use a hovercraft as a ride out. And if this doesn't work, it's okay," he says.

I shake my head and he rubs my back. I press my cheek against his chest, "It's not okay Umbra…let me go, you be the victor."

He laughs a little, "Hey, I said I'll be alright. I promise you, it might be awhile, but I'll see you again, I'll find you."

He lifts my chin up with his finger and looks into my eyes, "Do I ever make a promise I don't keep? Well, aside from attacking you, but I blame the tracker jacker venom."

No, he always keeps his promises. He promised me he would protect us, that he would save Gale, that he would send us both home. But this is so…different.

"It's just…this plan is so ridiculous. What do you think, you'll just get onto the hovercraft and beat everybody up?" I ask.

He sighs, "That's if I'm lucky enough to wake up…but I think it'll go a bit differently. You see, once the Gamemakers don't retrieve Lucerna or Gale's bodies…they'll want answers. I'm more valuable alive than dead by that point…I'll escape sometime during interrogation."

I picture Umbra, tied to a chair, the Peacekeepers whipping him. I cringe at the thought and hug him a little tighter.

"They'll hurt you," I whisper.

He strokes my hair, "They can't hurt me anymore than they already have."

We hold each other for a while longer, waiting for something to come that never will. I'm just trying to drag out the time we have together, but I know Umbra is itching to get me to safety. He keeps checking my injuries and asking if I'm alright.

Finally we both stand up, and I look at him, "What happens when I go home?"

"Well," he thinks for a minute, keeping his voice barely audible. "You need to find your friends they should be there by the time you return. Your one friend…she knows Panem like the back of her hand, she'll be waiting. Things are going to get difficult, you're going to be doing a lot for the Capitol, they'll have you touring-"

"When do I find you?" I cut him off.

He gives a sharp nod, "I'll find you. Until then, you have to hang in there. They may question you, they'll be looking for them, and the security in your District will be immense."

He takes my hand, "Enjoy the little things while you can. Get home and take time to be with your mother and sister, you'll be well fed and you'll never have to worry again."

"Never worry again? I'll worry about you, every night!" I nearly shout.

He tilts his head, "You know what I meant."

We're left standing there, awkwardly. I find the courage to speak up, my voice cracking, "I guess…I guess this is…goodbye?"

I embrace him again, planting a quick kiss on his cheek, the fabric of his face-wrap separating his skin from my lips.

"It's not goodbye, it's see you later," he corrects softly.

I nod, wanting to believe that so desperately, "I can't thank you enough…for everything. You gave me my life back."

He whispers through my hair, "Everything will be okay…come on, it's time."

I stay with my arms wrapped around his torso as he readies the poison. He administers the first syringe, the full one, sticking the needle in and emptying the contents into his arm. It's too much for me to watch, I want to snatch it from his hands.

He applies the second dosage and slowly I feel him loosen up.

"Say, Ms. Everdeen, did you happen to collect patchfruit for dinner?" he asks suddenly.

Wait, patchfruit?

"Umbra…you mean?" I ask in astonishment.

Something about that rings and I can't figure out what. He's starting to slip out of my grasp. I hold on for dear life…I never want to let him go.

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**A/N:  
**

**Alright, here it is, the final chapter. Next week's update is the epilogue + acknowledgments + bonus scene + chapter 1 of the new story. Sorry if there are errors in this chapter, it was 3 pages longer than an average chapter and I tried to proofread as much as I could. Hope you enjoy it!**

**Oh, and the ending of this chapter is really confusing, don't worry if you don't understand it!**

What should the name of the sequel be? Vote! Or, if you suggest a story title and I use it, you'll be credited EVERY chapter of the new story for creating the title name! Try to make it use the "[word] and [word]" set-up! Check my poll for examples.

Thanks to any potential voters, and thanks to last week's voters!

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**A/N: Most of this was written listening to (Hunger Games Soundtrack OST): **YouTube - watch?v=RFAUzAtSz0w&list=PL7E32C4A2DFE84544&index=5&feature=plpp_video

**Thanks for reading!**

**To all the people who are reading, reviewing, subscribing, etc. I sincerely thank you! All of it is much appreciated, and I hope you all continue to enjoy this story as much as I enjoy writing it!**

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**Chapter 30 coming soon! Est: (On or Before) 12/9/12**

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**Please take the time to Review/Comment/Subscribe/PM or Email me with questions or ideas!**

_**- Legkicker**_


	30. Chapter 30: Epilogue

**Bows and Snares**

**By: Legkicker  
**

**Chapter 30:** Epilogue

**Doctors** and nurses continuously check in on me during my lackadaisical state. Needles are constantly injected into my arm, either making me tired or extremely confused concerning my whereabouts. Regardless of the medication, I have a hard time believing everything that occurs.

One thing is for sure, Umbra is no longer by my side. No matter how many times my hands and fingers stretch out to feel his warmth in the chair beside my bed, I never feel him. My mind keeps forming his image, as if he's standing there watching me.

It's strange how real he looks, as if he actually is in the room with me. At one point, during the middle of the night, I swear it was him. I convinced myself he was really there, watching over me as he always had. But…perhaps it was just a shadow.

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**Acknowledgments**

**First** and foremost, I would like to thank everybody who read this story, whether you were a constant reviewer or silent observer, you all supported this story and made it possible to complete, thank you!

Secondly, I'd like to thank Suzanne Collins for creating this wonderful world and story in which we can all express our own admirations and creativity within. Thank you!

Also, thanks to all the reviewers/followers on this story, your support is much appreciated and I loved to hear from you! I hope to hear from you all again when the sequel comes around, thanks again!

Now, on to the more 'direct' acknowledgments.

*******In no order of importance!*******

First, **"****nb1998****" **for all their reviews and support. You were there from chapter one, and I don't think you missed reviewing a chapter ever since! I looked forward to hearing from you each chapter (and catching my mistakes!), and you helped this story move along at times where I didn't expect to continue. And I loved your reviews because they were very detailed and you really showed your interest in the story. All around, I think you're an amazing person and I can't express my appreciation for your support. Thank you so much, I really hope to see you again once the sequel debuts!

Next, **"****Fanpire109****"** for all their help and support! Fanpire, I've tried to tell you before how much help you've been, but it always seems that I can't fully put into words the effect you've had. Literally, anytime I was stressing out over whether something seemed "right" or "appropriate" or "clever", you were there to come in with the input I needed! I still remember the first time I asked you to help out, and I was so relieved at your enthusiasm towards the idea of a 'sneak peek'. I know one time you were busy with school, and probably caught up in other stories at the time, but you still had time to give me a hand. People reading should know that you literally _saved_ characters' lives and helped to steer this story into a better direction. You're always first on my list when I need help again, or a favor to return. I owe you big time, thanks a ton! I wish you the best and will need your expertise again soon!

And, **"****Death God2****" **my best and biggest fan! You know, at first, I was wondering, _"Who is this? Always rushing me and telling me to 'hurry up!'." _But after we got around to talking, I came to realize you were actually an amazing individual who grew on me and soon enough was one of my favorite people to talk H-Games with. You became more of a friend than a reviewer/follower on my story. Seriously, thanks, thanks for reading my story, thanks for messaging me, thanks for being so cool - thanks for everything! Our friendship goes a bit further than just storytelling, so it goes without saying I appreciate all your help. I know you'll be lined up to read the sequel, I won't keep you waiting! You know I'm always here if you need a favor or just want to talk!

And onto **"****rayleen14****"** for helping out and most of all, being one of my biggest UMBRA fans! I'm glad you like his character so much, I was worried people might not catch onto him, but you sure seemed to! I appreciate your support and help, thanks for it all. You were a pretty consistent reviewer as well, and I always found your reviews to be pretty funny. Same goes for you, I'm here if you ever need a favor!

"**YingYang13****"** (who will probably not see this for a while), for supporting me and talking some H-Games! You're still getting caught up at the moment, but I think you're starting to like Umbra too, which is awesome. Thanks for the support and reviews! Anybody reading this, check out her stories! I know I enjoy one in particular, "Tooth and Claw A Gale Hawthorne Love Story". Thanks again YingYang, you've been a great person and I can't wait to read some more of your story!

"**Clufie****"** for their kind words in their review on Chapter 22, it was great to read that after posting! You made my day, thanks!

"**herpaderpington****" **for their review on Chapter 26, that was probably the greatest review the story received throughout its entire run, thank you!

"**FireBreadandSnares****" **for being my first reviewer, that kept this story on the site before I pulled the plug, thanks!

"**Travis + Nick, the Wolfpack and BBQ Productions"**, for putting up with the fact that I would leave early every Saturday to get some writing done on this story…yeah, I'll still be doing that considering the sequel is debuting.

And finally, to the rest of those who read/reviewed, thanks for your help! I'm lucky to have such a great audience, you all deserve more than I can give. I hope you all continue reading my stories and enjoy the sequel as much as this story.

Thanks again,

**_- Legkicker_**

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**Bonus Scene**

**Seneca** Crane receives a phone call sometime in the early morning hours before the sun has crested over the mountains surrounding the Capitol. The subject matter of the conversation is enough to turn his face white and instill an unforgettable fear in his heart. Hours after the call, he finds himself pacing back and forth across his quarters, conjuring an excuse to deliver to President Snow.

Now, morning sunlight pierces through the windows and illuminates the city. Another phone call summons Seneca to his fate, requesting his appearance at the Snow mansion in the following hour. He spends most of his time preparing his alibi, but as the time comes to set out he's no better off than before.

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**Snow** resides in the upper layer of his extended abode, a glass of red wine already resting in his palm even though it's only around 9 AM. The room he sits in pans in a small oval, the back wall constructed of glass with heavy white curtains draped around the edges. A large, oak desk rests in the middle, accompanied by two wooden seats in front of it. He leans back in his tall, quality, brown-leather chair and stares across the garden just outside of the windows.

The sound of footsteps echoing in the hallway outside his office brings him to attention. He waits patiently as two Peacekeepers enter the room through the double-wide doors with Seneca Crane in pursuit.

Snow gestures for the guards to leave and waits until the entrance is closed again until he addresses his guest.

"Ah, Mr. Crane, please," he motions to one of the chairs in front of his desk, "have a seat."

Seneca gulps and adjusts his collar before obeying, shakily sitting down just a few feet across from his executioner.

"May I offer you something to drink?" Snow offers.

Seneca's mouth is dry and nothing sounds better at the moment, but he has reason to believe the drink given may have something inside it. So he shakes his head and declines.

Snow leans back and sips on his wine, "So…tell me the good news."

The words alone are enough to make Crane's heart sink like a stone in water. Immediately his hands begin trembling and his forehead perspires. Snow must not know the extent to which Seneca has failed, and he expects to be enlightened.

"Well, uh," Seneca clears his throat, "There…really is no good news."

Snow frowns at him, tapping his fingers on the wine glass and staring him down. "Then tell me something, what happened?"

Here goes nothing - or everything. Seneca knows his next explanation will be his last. It's unfortunate that he hadn't paid closer attention to his tributes, and even worse that he supplied them with the means of abandonment, treason, and of all things - rebellion.

So he lets his eyes drop to the ground and answers the question.

"No, we failed to find the bodies, just the trackers…"

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**Alright, that's a wrap for "Bows and Snares" ladies and gentlemen. Now, forward onto "Ghosts and Shadows"! You can find the story on my profile!**

**- _Legkicker_**


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